Man charged in US with stealing $450 million from Mexican billionaire in loan scheme
Summary
A man named Vladimir Sklarov was charged in the U.S. for tricking Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego out of about $450 million using a fake loan company. Sklarov claimed his company was connected to the wealthy Astor family but instead sold Salinas’s shares for his own gain.Key Facts
- Vladimir Sklarov, 63, used several fake names including Gregory Mitchell and Mark Simon Bentley.
- Sklarov created a sham company called Astor Asset Group, falsely claiming ties to the famous Astor family.
- He convinced Ricardo Salinas Pliego, a Mexican billionaire, to secure a loan with company shares worth $450 million.
- Sklarov and accomplices sold those shares and kept hundreds of millions of dollars themselves.
- The scheme began around 2021 when Salinas sought a $100 million loan.
- Salinas found out about the fraud in July 2024 when shares were sold without his permission.
- Sklarov was arrested in Chicago and faces federal charges from a grand jury in New York City.
- Authorities said Sklarov used the false prestige of the Astor family name to trick Salinas and others.
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