Raiders

The emergence of Russian capitalism following the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 allowed oligarchs – businesspeople with political power – to make money by the bucket-load. They bought up state property on the cheap, built mansions and flew around in private jets. Competitors were soon eager to dethrone them, and used any means they had at their disposal. Now, these so-called “raiders” are in power themselves, forming an organized criminal group of politicians, former KGB members, judges and lawyers – and the gangs of thugs brought in to help them. With the help of the “right” connections and using blackmail, threats and worse, they seize ownership of buildings and profitable businesses. What’s more, they do it all in broad daylight. This revealing documentary features several of the raiders’ victims, such as the founder of a thriving chain of cell phone stores who fled to London, the former owner of a succesful restaurant, artists who were nearly driven from their building and an American who until recently was a successful investor in Russia. The interviews are punctuated with shocking footage from eyewitnesses to violent raids. How exactly do these hostile takeovers take place, and what can be done about these criminal figures and their goon squads with their close connections to the Kremlin?