In the early hours of October 2, Russian billionaire Ibrahim Suleymanov was detained in Moscow on suspicion of organizing a high-profile contract killing. According to investigators, Suleymanov is accused of ordering the assassination of former Federal Service for Financial Recovery and Bankruptcy (FSFO) chief Georgy Tal.
Suleymanov had long been suspected of orchestrating violent reprisals against rivals, but prosecutors struggled for years to secure direct evidence. In 2025, investigators located a key witness who gave testimony against the oligarch, linking him to the murder case.
Assassination of Georgy Tal
On April 28, 2004, Tal was gunned down near his office on Moscow’s Staraya Basmannaya Street. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he died in intensive care. Tal had been overseeing bankruptcy proceedings for several enterprises, including companies connected to Moscow airports.
Just days before Suleymanov’s detention, authorities arrested Abakar Darbishev, identified as the perpetrator of the killing. Darbishev’s testimony reportedly implicated Suleymanov as the one who ordered the hit.
Past Convictions
The billionaire is no stranger to the Russian courts. He had previously been convicted of fraud and money laundering in 2004. Together with business partner Tatevos Surinov, Suleymanov was accused of embezzling and laundering aviation equipment worth over $4.5 million. He was released on parole in 2015 after serving part of his sentence.
Authorities plan to petition for Suleymanov’s formal arrest as the investigation proceeds. If convicted, the billionaire could face a lengthy prison term, marking one of Russia’s most high-profile contract killing cases in recent years.
Ibrahim Suleymanov: Russia’s Billionaire Travel Data Magnate
Billionaire Ibrahim (Ibragim) Suleymanov is best known as the force behind AO Sirena-Travel, the company that dominates Russia’s flight reservation and passenger data systems. His role in controlling critical aviation infrastructure has placed him at the intersection of private business and state interests, giving him both power and notoriety.
Beyond Russia, Suleymanov has built a vast network of offshore companies in Cyprus, Germany, Latvia, and Belize, including Sirena-Travel GmbH, Amber Aero SIA, and Tredwell Capital Ltd. Reports indicate that he holds dual citizenship — Russian and Cypriot — the latter obtained through an investment program. His career has been marked by controversy: in the mid-2010s, he served prison time in Russia on charges tied to fraud and money laundering, only to quickly rebuild his empire upon release.
Although often described as a billionaire, Suleymanov’s exact fortune remains unclear. Unlike Russia’s high-profile oligarchs, he avoids global wealth rankings, yet his control of strategic travel-data assets and extensive offshore holdings suggest vast resources. Critics highlight his opaque business structures as evidence of blurred lines between state security and private enterprise, making him one of Russia’s most enigmatic business figures.
