Arcadi Gaydamak
Encyclopedia
Arcadi Aleksandrovich Gaydamak, ' onMouseout='HidePop("71155")' href="/topics/Moscow">Moscow
, USSR) is a Russian
-Israeli businessman, who was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honour
. On April 29, 2011 the Court of Appeal in Paris acquitted him of charges of arms dealing. He was the owner of the Israeli football club Beitar Jerusalem, and in February 2007 announced the establishment of an Israeli social movement, Social Justice
, which became a political party in July 2007. He ran unsuccessfully for Mayor
of Jerusalem in the November 2008 elections, winning about 3.6% of the votes.
, capital of the USSR. At the age of 20, Gaydamak was one of the first Jews to emigrate to Israel
from Leonid Brezhnev
's Soviet Union and receive Israeli citizenship. He lived on Kibbutz Beit HaShita
, and studied Hebrew at an ulpan
. He said he originally intended to serve in the Israeli Army, but ended up moving to France, where he opened a translation bureau. In 1982, Gaydamak Translations opened a branch in Canada. During that period he commenced international business, in import and export. After the collapse of the USSR, he built up ties in Russia and Kazakhstan
and formed various business organizations across Europe.
Gaydamak won citations from the French government for helping to rescue two captured French pilots in the War in Bosnia in the 1990s, as well as two French intelligence officers captured by rebel factions in the Caucasus
. According to Gaydamak, these operations were secret. Hence the citations spoke of his contribution to agriculture. Former French interior minister Charles Pasqua
confirmed this, saying that then-president Jacques Chirac
had personally authorized the citations.
Gaydamack was granted honorary Angolan citizenship and holds French, Canadian, Russian and Israeli passports.
Gaydamak owns a home in Caesarea., is married to Irene Tzirolnicova and is a father of three children. He speaks Russian
, French
and English
. He also speaks Portuguese
and Hebrew on a basic level.
In December 2008 it was reported that Gaydamak left Israel and moved to Moscow
. In February 2009 it was reported that he seeks to regain the Russian citizenship he lost when he emigrated to Israel.
were convicted by a French court of organizing arms trafficking in Angola
during the civil war in 1993-1998 in the amount of 790 million dollars, in violation of the Lusaka Protocol
. He was sentenced in absentia to six years in prison, but his conviction on the arms dealing charges was overturned by the Court of Appeal in France on April 29, 2011. He is currently in Israel. France had attempted unsuccessfully to extradite Gaydamak from Israel, although Israeli law has changed in the interim and extradition is now possible. It has been claimed by Peter Storrie
that this situation helped to precipitate the financial crisis at Portsmouth Football Club
. The club was owned by his son Alexandre
, and the allegations caused banks to withdraw overdraft facilities from the club, and to demand total repayment.
In February 2007, Gaydamak founded a party devoted to socio-economic issues which he named Social Justice. Although the organization was established as a social movement, he said it could become a political party if the circumstances warranted it. In late 2007, the party contemplated taking part in the 2008 municipal elections.
Gaydamak ran for Mayor of Jerusalem in November 2008, but he received only 3.6% of the vote and his party won no seats on the city council. During the campaign, Gaydamak courted the East Jerusalem Palestinian vote. Gaydamak approached the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Muhammad Ahmad Hussein
, Palestinian political figures and media, and came away with as close to an endorsement as one could hope for.
Gaydamak's politics are what he labels as "outreach", encompassing different segments of Israeli society. However, in an August 2008 speech, he voiced opposition to the Jerusalem gay pride parade and said he would die before allowing it to take place again.
team. The following month he donated $400,000 to the Israeli Arab Bnei Sakhnin football club. On the same day Gaydamak announced the purchase of 55% of the ownership of Beitar Jerusalem, and two days later he announced the acquisition of full ownership. Gaydamak is the patron of several Jewish charities and president of the Congress of Jewish Religious Communities and Organizations of Russia (KEROOR), Russia's oldest Jewish umbrella group. In the summer of 2008, Arcadi claimed his son Alexandre was owner of Portsmouth F.C.
and it was confirmed by the Premier League.
In March 2006 he announced his offer to buy the French newspaper France Soir
via his company Moscow News
. He had purchased the Russian Moskovskie Novosti newspaper in 2004, fired some senior journalists, and changed the paper's mandate to a firmly pro-government one, appointing a pro-Putin journalist as editor in chief. This was widely viewed as hostile to free speech and raised questions about Gaydamak's possible ties to the Kremlin.
In June 2007, Gaydamak negotiated a deal to buy the non-kosher supermarket chain Tiv Taam. According to newspaper reports, he was planning to close the stores on Shabbat
and halt the sale of pork products. However, a few days later the deal fell through, resulting in a lawsuit.
In July 2009, Gaydamak announced his decision to give up the ownership of Beitar Jerusalem in favor of Itzik Kornfein
and Guma Aguiar
. Kornfein would handle buying and selling players, while Aguair would engage in financing.
and Hatzolah
. He also pledged $50 million to the Jewish Agency for Israel
, but withdrew the offer when the Jewish Agency was warned about money laundering allegations. He ended up donating $10 million.
During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
Gaydamak constructed a tent-village on the beach of Nitzanim
, hosting thousands of families who fled the rocket-ridden North and had no place to go. Gaydamak's contributions totaled $15 million (about $500,000 a day). In November 2006, he funded a one-week long vacation in Eilat for hundreds of Sderot
residents who live under constant rocket attacks
from Gaza
.
together with several managers of the bank and the Italian-Israeli businessman Nahum Galmor
.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, USSR) is a Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
-Israeli businessman, who was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honour
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. On April 29, 2011 the Court of Appeal in Paris acquitted him of charges of arms dealing. He was the owner of the Israeli football club Beitar Jerusalem, and in February 2007 announced the establishment of an Israeli social movement, Social Justice
Social Justice (political party)
Social Justice is a political party in Israel headed by Russian-Israeli businessman, Arcadi Gaydamak. It was launched by in February 2007 as a social movement, but was transformed into a political party in July that year. It did not participate in the 2009 elections for the Knesset.-Background:The...
, which became a political party in July 2007. He ran unsuccessfully for Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Jerusalem in the November 2008 elections, winning about 3.6% of the votes.
Biography
Arcadi Gaydamak was born in 1952 in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, capital of the USSR. At the age of 20, Gaydamak was one of the first Jews to emigrate to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
from Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
's Soviet Union and receive Israeli citizenship. He lived on Kibbutz Beit HaShita
Beit Hashita
Beit HaShita is a kibbutz between Afula and Beit She'an, Israel founded on 4 December 1928 by members of "Kvuzat HaHugim" and members of "Tnuat HaMahanot HaOlim" from Haifa and Jerusalem. The kibbutz was named after the biblical town of the same name, where the Midianites fled after being beaten...
, and studied Hebrew at an ulpan
Ulpan
An ulpan is an institute or school for the intensive study of Hebrew. Ulpan is a Hebrew word meaning basically studio or teaching, instruction....
. He said he originally intended to serve in the Israeli Army, but ended up moving to France, where he opened a translation bureau. In 1982, Gaydamak Translations opened a branch in Canada. During that period he commenced international business, in import and export. After the collapse of the USSR, he built up ties in Russia and Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and formed various business organizations across Europe.
Gaydamak won citations from the French government for helping to rescue two captured French pilots in the War in Bosnia in the 1990s, as well as two French intelligence officers captured by rebel factions in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. According to Gaydamak, these operations were secret. Hence the citations spoke of his contribution to agriculture. Former French interior minister Charles Pasqua
Charles Pasqua
Charles Pasqua is a French businessman and Gaullist politician. He was Interior Minister from 1986 to 1988, under Jacques Chirac's cohabitation government, and also from 1993 to 1995, under the government of Edouard Balladur...
confirmed this, saying that then-president Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
had personally authorized the citations.
Gaydamack was granted honorary Angolan citizenship and holds French, Canadian, Russian and Israeli passports.
Gaydamak owns a home in Caesarea., is married to Irene Tzirolnicova and is a father of three children. He speaks Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. He also speaks Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
and Hebrew on a basic level.
In December 2008 it was reported that Gaydamak left Israel and moved to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. In February 2009 it was reported that he seeks to regain the Russian citizenship he lost when he emigrated to Israel.
Angola affair
In October 2009, Gaydamak and French magnate Pierre FalconePierre Falcone
Pierre Falcone is a member of Angola's delegation to UNESCO, and holds the rank of Minister Counsellor. He is married to artist and socialite Sonia Falcone....
were convicted by a French court of organizing arms trafficking in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
during the civil war in 1993-1998 in the amount of 790 million dollars, in violation of the Lusaka Protocol
Lusaka Protocol
The Lusaka Protocol, signed in Lusaka, Zambia on October 31, 1994, attempted to end the Angolan Civil War by integrating and disarming UNITA and national reconciliation. Both sides signed a ceasefire as part of the protocol on November 20.-Negotiation:...
. He was sentenced in absentia to six years in prison, but his conviction on the arms dealing charges was overturned by the Court of Appeal in France on April 29, 2011. He is currently in Israel. France had attempted unsuccessfully to extradite Gaydamak from Israel, although Israeli law has changed in the interim and extradition is now possible. It has been claimed by Peter Storrie
Peter Storrie
Peter Storrie was a Director and the Chief Executive Officer of English Premier League team Portsmouth. He had formerly worked for West Ham United, Southend United and Notts County.-West Ham United:...
that this situation helped to precipitate the financial crisis at Portsmouth Football Club
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. The club was owned by his son Alexandre
Alexandre Gaydamak
Alexandre "Sacha" Gaydamak is a French businessman of Russian Ashkenazi Jewish descent, and also holds an Israeli passport. A member of the wealthy Gaydamak family, he is the son of Arcadi Gaydamak....
, and the allegations caused banks to withdraw overdraft facilities from the club, and to demand total repayment.
Politics
Gaydamak ran for Mayor of Jerusalem in November 2008, but he received only 3.6% of the vote and his party won no seats on the city council. During the campaign, Gaydamak courted the East Jerusalem Palestinian vote. Gaydamak approached the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Muhammad Ahmad Hussein
Muhammad Ahmad Hussein
Muhammad Ahmad Hussein has been the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem since July 2006, when he was appointed by Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian National Authority. Hussein replaced Ekrima Sa'id Sabri, who was fired by Abbas for involving himself too heavily in political affairs...
, Palestinian political figures and media, and came away with as close to an endorsement as one could hope for.
Gaydamak's politics are what he labels as "outreach", encompassing different segments of Israeli society. However, in an August 2008 speech, he voiced opposition to the Jerusalem gay pride parade and said he would die before allowing it to take place again.
Sport clubs and media ownership
In July 2005, Gaydamak became sponsor of the Hapoel Jerusalem basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team. The following month he donated $400,000 to the Israeli Arab Bnei Sakhnin football club. On the same day Gaydamak announced the purchase of 55% of the ownership of Beitar Jerusalem, and two days later he announced the acquisition of full ownership. Gaydamak is the patron of several Jewish charities and president of the Congress of Jewish Religious Communities and Organizations of Russia (KEROOR), Russia's oldest Jewish umbrella group. In the summer of 2008, Arcadi claimed his son Alexandre was owner of Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
and it was confirmed by the Premier League.
In March 2006 he announced his offer to buy the French newspaper France Soir
France Soir
France Soir is a French daily newspaper that prospered during the 1950s and 1960s, but it has declined since then under various owners. It was re-launched as a populist tabloid in 2006.-History:...
via his company Moscow News
Moscow News
The Moscow News, which began publication in 1930, is Russia’s oldest English-language publication newspaper. Many of its feature articles used to be translated from the now defunct Russian Moskovskiye Novosti.-History:...
. He had purchased the Russian Moskovskie Novosti newspaper in 2004, fired some senior journalists, and changed the paper's mandate to a firmly pro-government one, appointing a pro-Putin journalist as editor in chief. This was widely viewed as hostile to free speech and raised questions about Gaydamak's possible ties to the Kremlin.
In June 2007, Gaydamak negotiated a deal to buy the non-kosher supermarket chain Tiv Taam. According to newspaper reports, he was planning to close the stores on Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
and halt the sale of pork products. However, a few days later the deal fell through, resulting in a lawsuit.
In July 2009, Gaydamak announced his decision to give up the ownership of Beitar Jerusalem in favor of Itzik Kornfein
Itzik Kornfein
Yitzhak "Itzik" Kornfein is a retired Israeli goalkeeper who played mostly for Beitar Jerusalem. He also played for Hapoel Tiberias, Hapoel Jerusalem, Hapoel Ramat Gan, Hapoel Petah Tikva and Beitar Tel Aviv...
and Guma Aguiar
Guma Aguiar
Guma L. Aguiar is a Brazilian-born energy industrialist and millionaire businessperson who splits his time living between the United States and Israel. Guma Aguiar is recognized as a leading philanthropist who has supported a variety of Jewish causes including Nefesh B'Nefesh and the March of the...
. Kornfein would handle buying and selling players, while Aguair would engage in financing.
Philanthropy and community service
Gaydamak has donated to many Israeli organizations, including Magen David AdomMagen David Adom
The Magen David Adom is Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The name means "Red Star of David"...
and Hatzolah
Hatzolah
Hatzolah/Hatzalah is a volunteer Emergency Medical Service organization serving mostly Jewish communities around the world. Most local branches operate independently of each other, but use the common name...
. He also pledged $50 million to the Jewish Agency for Israel
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
, but withdrew the offer when the Jewish Agency was warned about money laundering allegations. He ended up donating $10 million.
During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
Gaydamak constructed a tent-village on the beach of Nitzanim
Nitzanim
Nitzanim is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located between Ashkelon and Ashdod on the Nitzanim dunes, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 343....
, hosting thousands of families who fled the rocket-ridden North and had no place to go. Gaydamak's contributions totaled $15 million (about $500,000 a day). In November 2006, he funded a one-week long vacation in Eilat for hundreds of Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
residents who live under constant rocket attacks
Qassam rocket
The Qassam rocket is a simple steel artillery rocket developed and deployed by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas. Three models have been produced and used between 2001 and 2011....
from Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
.
Bank Hapoalim affair
In October 2009, Gaydamak was indicted in Tel Aviv District Court on suspicions of money laundering through Bank HapoalimBank Hapoalim
Bank Hapoalim is Israel’s largest bank. As of 31 December 2008 it had total consolidated assets of NIS 306.85 billion. The Bank has a significant presence in global financial markets. In Israel, the Group has over 260 full-service branches, eight regional business centers, and industry desks...
together with several managers of the bank and the Italian-Israeli businessman Nahum Galmor
Nahum Galmor
Nahum Galmor is an Italian-Israeli businessman residing in Switzerland.He has been the owner and chairman of the board of the Dutch company Thermphos since 2003. Thermphos is one of the world’s largest manufacturer of phosphorus products.-Career:Nahum Galmor studied economics in the USA and holds...
.
External links
- Pompedia: The Portsmouth FC encyclopedia - a very detailed profile