Jan Voronin
Jan Voronin | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Jan Sergeyevich Voronin 13 February 1964 |
| Nationality | Rakhmani |
| Alma mater | Novinsk University of Chemistry and Technology |
| Occupation | Founder |
| Years active | 1984-present |
| Known for | Founder of the Koman Corporation |
| Spouse(s) | Svetlana Voronin (m. 1988) |
| Children | 2 |
| Criminal charge | Fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering |
| Penalty | 65 years imprisonment |
Capture status | Released |
Wanted by |  Rakhman |
Jan Sergeyevich Voronin (Rakhi: Ян Сергеевич Воронин) is a Rakhmani-born businessman and billionaire. Since 2017, Voronin is believed to be the second wealthiest man in Rakhman, with an estimated net worth of ₸113 billion, approximately ₵45 billion, only second to the reigning Tzar. Beginning his career in the 1980's, Voronin would start numerous businesses in various fields in an attempt to amass wealth. However, it wouldn't be until the mid-1990's when Voronin would discover large oil fields in Krasnoyarsk and off the southern coast of Rakhman. In 1993, with investment from prolific Monsilvan business magnate Yingtai Feng, he would merge several of his own companies, as well as various recently acquired companies, under a single name, the Koman Corporation, establishing the largest mining company in Rakhman.
In 2002, Voronin founded Muşodan, a reform minded organization which intended to promote reform for nation. In May 2004, he was arrested by Rakhmani authorities and charged with fraud. The State Council would proceed to freeze shares of Koman on tax charges. In August of 2005, Voronin was found guilty and sentences to 30 years in prison. In January 2009, while still serving his sentence, Voronin was further charged with and found guilty of embezzlement, tax evasion, and money laundering, extending his sentence until 2064. Voronin completely disappeared from his jail cell and from the public eye from 2010 all the way to 2013, when he was officially pardoned by Tzar Aleksandr I. One week following his release, Voronin would announce that the shutting down of Muşodan was justified and that the creation of such a company was a mistake. He would further pledge his allegiance to the Tzar and the State Council before exiting the venue.
There was widespread concern internationally, especially from Kivuian officials, that the trial and sentencing of Voronin was politically motivated. It was criticized for a lack of due process and for alleged violations of human rights. Voronin would publically declare that his sentencing was justified on numerous occasions but many international outlets believed that his life was being threatened and that he was forced to falsely declare his guilt. After numerous organizations outside of Rakhman's border launched investigations into his arrest, they would attempt to compile a large collection of Voronin's records and the history of Muşodan. Ultimately, it was found that his sentencing was not politically motivated but rather "that the charges against him were grounded in 'reasonable suspicion.'"
Following his release, Voronin would once again be granted the position of Chairmen of the Koman Corporation, which he would accept. Following this enormous, decade long scandal, he would attempt to slowly restore Koman to its former glory. The company would release numerous articles commending the actions placed on Voronin and the enforcement of policy by the State Council. By the end of 2016, Voronin had recovered nearly all of his lost assets and possessed ownership of a large estate in Krasnoyarsk which was estimated to be worth nearly ₸910 million. On 11 June, 2017, Voronin officially surpassed his net worth before he was imprisoned and became the second wealthiest man in Rakhman.
Contents
Early life
Childhood
Jan Voronin was born in Soligorsk, Rakhman and grew up near the outskirts of the city. His parents, Arkadi and Elena Voronin, owned a small factory, which produced various tools and other minor pieces of equipment, near the outer edge of Soligorsk. From an early age, he was taught how to take care of and work in his parents' factory. He learned how to operate basic machinery and how to assemble tools and other equipment. On weekends, when he didn't help his parents in the factory, he would often wander near the base of the Elbrus. Various small mining companies would operate in the area and Voronin would find himself wandering toward the jobsite on numerous occasions. He was always pushed back from the site by the workers in the area, in order to prevent a child from entering the premesis, but eventually, he would make it in. There he would wittness his first glimpse into the world of mining. Oftentimes, heavy equipment would be stationed there, drilling for recources and minerals. He was fascinated by this and would ultimately end up pursuing a career in the field, mining and technology. During his teen years, he would make breaking into mining sites near the Elbrus a hobby before ultimately recieving a ban from approaching the premesis. However, this did not stop him. Voronin continued to attempt to enter and see the operations that were being performed. Voronin would eventually attend a secondary school where he now no longer had the time to continue these attempts. After completing secondary school, Voronin would be drafted into the military and would serve his term before leaving the armed forces in 1984, after the required two years.
Military career
Voronin entered the military in 1982 and served in the armed forces for two years. He would spend his entire military career as a seaman, never even attempting to raise his rank in the forces. He would serve the entirety of his two years in the Rakhmani Navy. Although Voronin did not participate in any major wars or conflicts, he was sent to the southern coast in order to defend Rakhman's border from communists. Communism was spreading like a plague throughout southern Ostlandet and Rakhman intended to prevent it from entering its borders. Tensions were extremely high between Rakhman and Ajakanistan at the time and many expected a war to breakout. Voronin's military career would ultimately prove beneficial for him as it gave him an incredibly idea, offshore mining. Still pursuing his passion, spending months at sea gave Voronin the vision to eventually expand a company to the Southern Ocean, and exploit all of its natural recources. He was generally percieved as a quiet and calculating man during his time in the armed forces. Although he did not make very many important connections in the Navy, his time there allowed him to witness the beauty of the sea and the vast array of untapped recources bellow its surface.
Education
Beginning at a young age, Voronin would begin to prove his intellectual ability. He would graduate secondary school with full marks and would get accepted into one of the most prestigious universities in the nation regarding the technological industry. In 1984, Voronin would attend Kazan University in Soligorsk and pursue a degree in physics and mathematics. Voronin quickly became noticeably ahead of his peers in class. He would later transfer to the more advanced Novinsk Institute of Physics and technology and continue his journey toward a degree in physics and mathematics. During his time in the school, he would make various important connection with proffessors on campus which would aid him in his future endeavors. The only man who could contend with Voronin was a classmate named Viktor Lebedev. Lebedev would ultimately join Voronin in the first business venture of his illustrious career. In 1984, he would create his first company and in the following 4 years, Voronin would establish various small companies in order to earn money. During his time at the University, he would meet a girl by the name of Svetlana, which he would end up marrying in 1988, just months after their graduation. After four years in the University, he would finally gradute with full honors in physics and had already established multiple companies. Voronin decided not to pursue further education and instead, to focus on his career outside of the University.
Career
Early career
After his graduation in 1988, Voronin would partner with former classmate Viktor Lebedev and set up his first excavation project. The two purchased a large chunk of land on the outskirts of Krasnoyarsk and began looking for profitable minerals. Failing to find any large deposits, Lebedev would ultimately exit the project. Voronin would persist and only a few months later would strike oil. Oil was considered to be relatively rare on the Rakhmani mainland at the time of his discovery, and so, he began to gain notice. Lebedev would later return and attempt to rejoin the operation, but to no avail. Voronin would quickly purchase several larger properties surrounding his initial oil well and continue his search for oil. After uncovering one of the numerous oil fields located in the area, Voronin would capitalize on his findings. Shortly after his discoveries were made public, Voronin would recieve a large investment from Monsilvan billionaire investor Yingtai Feng. This funding would allow him to obtain modernized and more powerful equipment to aid him in his efforts. In 1991, he would create Saneft, a petroleum company, and begin expanding his operations elsewhere. Nearly two years later, Voronin managed to acquire a large chunk of land in a remote region of the Elbrus Mountains and began drilling on the property in search of oil or valuable minerals. In 1993, mere months after establishing his mining operations in the Elbrus, Voronin would find gold. This discovery led to increased funding from Yingtai Feng and with his assistance he was able to unite the two, as well as many other various smaller companies that he had previously made during his time in university, and establish the Koman Corporation.
Koman Corporation
In 1993, Voronin merged Saneft and Elbrus Tilloī to establish the Koman Corporation. Koman would soon discover large deposits of gold in the Elbrus Mountains while also finding additional oil fields in eastern Rakhman. The corporation would continue to expand its operations nationally for the following years. Ultimately, in 1996, it would become the largest mining and petroleum company in Rakhman, surpassing the Varkat mining company. Eventually, in 1998, Koman would make its international debut. It would immediately begin exporting large amounts of oil and precious minerals, especially gold, to foreign nations. During this time, one of Voronin's very first investors, Yingtai Feng, was also prospering in the global market. This combination allowed Koman to rapidly grow in a rather short time. Additionally, Jan Voronin had compiled a large fortune by this time and had invested a fair amount of it back into the Company. In 1999, Koman would sign an enormous contract with Montcrabin explosives manufacturer Trevol Industries, furthering the capability and productiveness of Koman's mining operations. By 2000, Koman had already acquired numerous small companies specializing in mining technology and explosives in an effort to increase production. Although the mining operations in the Elbrus were going well, oil seemed to be getting less and less common. There was plenty of oil left in the oil fields Voronin had discovered years prior in eastern Rakhman but not many new ones were being found. Voronin began to grow increasingly concerned that he may eventually have to cut petroleum drilling from the business which would lead to decreased profit. Eventually, Koman would begin drilling in the Southern Ocean in search of oil, where it would find success. Enormous oil fields were discovered surrounding a small region of the Southern Ocean so Koman decided to build an offshore oil platform, or an oil rig, in order to fully exploit the new discovery. The platform would officially be named the Koman Pul, or Pul for short. Presently, this rig, and other smaller operations in the area have produced a large portion of Rakhman's oil. Around the same time, Koman would open a new mine in Byasa and recieve instant results. The mine would quickly find gold and other valuable minerals. Additionally, due to its international status, during Koman's near-shutdown from 2004 until 2013, it was able to remain open and continue functioning for the corporation. In 2004, when Voronin was arrested, Koman was temporarily shut down and transferred to the government. During this time, multiple large pieces of equipment began to fall into disarray and nearly all investors, including Yingtai Feng pulled out. When Koman was returned to Voronin falling his release from prison in 2013, the corporation initially struggled to return to its former presence. However, after the uncovering of more oil in the Southern Ocean, and the success of the mine in Byasa, it began to skyrocket. As Koman began to build its former reputation back, Yingtai Feng renewed his investment which furthered the controversy associated with his name but benefited the Koman corporation. Ultimately, Koman would restore its equipment and modernize the Pul and bring Voronin back to his status as the second wealthiest man in Rakhman.
Muşodan
In 2002, in the midst of a prospering time for Voronin, he founded a new company Muşodan. Due to Voronin's previous business ventures, many expected the company to operate within the fields of technology or mining but instead, Muşodan focused on the social aspect of society. Immediately following its opening, Muşodan would begin to recieve criticism from major political figures. The company claimed that its objective was to "to foster enhanced openness, understanding and integration between the people of Rakhman and the rest of the world." Muşodan established its headquarters in Soligorsk and began to spread its message across the nation. In 2003, Voronin met with Kivuian officials in Buchthafen in order to discuss the future of Muşodan, an act which greatly angered the State Council. Voronin established a Muşodan center in Buchthafen and continued spreading the same ideas, just internationally. Muşodan would recieve further controversy when a riot broke out in Novinsk which police believed had been incited by Muşodan propoganda. The company quickly fell under scrutiny in Rakhman with its messages officially being deemed as "propoganda" and "disinformation" by the Tzar himself. Voronin made an attempt to spread the company to allied nations of Rakhman such as Montcrabe and Pavulturilor in an attempt to garner favor with the Rakhmani government. However, the two nations would refuse and Muşodan would hit a massive controversy. In May of 2004, police raided Muşodan headquarters and found that Voronin had committed numerous economic crimes. His assets would immediately be transfered to the government and Voronin was arrested. Four days following his arrest, Muşodan headquarters would mysteriously catch on fire and explode, leveling the entire structure and killing 317 people while injuring nearly 1,100 others. Kivuian officials believed that the destruction of the building was not due to "natural causes" but rather "a carefully orchestrated plot designed to eradicate what the Rakhmani government deemed 'an enemy of the nation.'" Conspiracy theorists pointed toward the Crabwater Group which they believed had been hired by the Tzar to cleanse Muşodan from Rakhman. Following this devastating event, Muşodan, now operated by the government, permanently shut down all of its global locations and removed any mention of itself online or in Rakhmani papers.
Criminal charges and incarceration
2004 arrest
In early May 2004, police raided Muşodan headquarters and discovered that Voronin had been conducting some fraudulent activities. On the morning of 29 May, 2004, Voronin was arrested at Soligorsk Airport. He was taken to Novinsk and charged with fraud, tax evasion, and other economic crimes. Kivuian officials described the trial as a "travest" and a "Loupe-esque procedure." They claimed that the government had spent weeks on an "incoherent account of alleged violations that were criminalized after they were committed, or that were in fact legal activities." Many claimed that the government had illegaly interrogated Muşodan and Koman employees, although these claims have never had any evidence brought forward in support for them. The arrest was preceded by the publication of an analytical report titled "a preperation of a coup on Rakhman" which explored the possibility of an attempted, Muşodan organized, left-wing coup on Rakhman. This was the speculated purpose of Voronin's constant visits to the nation of Kivu and Muşodan's general leniency and promotion of left-wing ideas.
Trial
The charges against Voronin were that he had participate in numerous counts of fraudulent economic behavior. Voronin's longtime rival and former business partner Viktor Lebedev testified against Voronin in the trial citing that "he has always been a crooked man" and that the allegations made against him were "of no surprise." Several Muşodan employees were also called to testify, many of which have never been seen since. Kivuian officials declared that the cause of Voronin's arrest was due to his political ideas rather than any actual crimes. The prosecution continued to present evidence and prevent certain articles to be presented or exposed to the court. Voronin's activities with Muşodan in Kivu were found in documents in Muşodan headquarters and they exposed his alledged plans to reform the nation. Ultimately, Voronin was charged with 3 counts of fraud and sentenced to 30 years in a medium security prison. Following the trial, Voronin would be sent to the Çinojat Prison. Numerous organizations outside of Rakhman's border launched minor investigations into his arrest in which they would attempt to compile a large collection of Voronin's records and the history of Muşodan. Ultimately, it was found that his sentencing was not politically motivated but rather "that the charges against him were grounded in 'reasonable suspicion.'"
Prison and disappearance
On 14 June, 2004, Voronin was sentenced to 30 years in a medium security prison. At the time, he was detained at the Çinojat Prison in Krasnoyarsk. Voronin would spend a majority of his time in prison alone as he didn't like socializing with the other prisoners. He would read and write to pass the time and only leave his cell for mandatory inspections. The same routine would continue for the following 4 years of Voronin's sentence. However, in 2008, he would participate in a storming of the prison gates. This attempt would fail and lead to the deaths of 19 prisoners and a bullet graze on Voronin's left arm. Guards speculated that he had participated in some gang related activities in addition to the storming of the gates and decided to send him away. After his escape attempt, he would be transferred to a floating prison called Şino Kardan. Şino Kardan was designed to handle prisoners from medium to maximum level security and as such, was seen as the perfect place to store Voronin. Things seemed back to normal for Voronin until 2009 when new charges were brought against him. Without trial, he was charged with and convicted of embezzlement, tax evasion, and money laundering, thereby extending his prison sentence until 2064. In 2010, during a routine inspection of the prison, guards found an argumentative essay stuck under Voronin's mattress containing references to left-wing extremism and an argument for the teardown of the Tzardom and the institution of a liberal democracy. 2 days later, Voronin promptly disappeared from his cell and was not seen again until 2013. Many speculate that he went through some kind of reeducation program, but no one is certain. Voronin would return to his cell in October of 2013 before being pardoned only 1 month later by the Tzar.
Release and subsequent activities
On 23 November, 2013, Voronin was officially pardoned by the Tzar. His first public appearance in years was a highly anticipated event and it was planned on being held near the center of Novinsk. When Voronin's time came to speak, he spoke of how this had bettered him. He praised the Rakhmani government for all that it had done and claimed that "it was a justified and correct arrest." Voronin continued to announce that the shutting down of Muşodan was justified and that the creation of such a company was a mistake. He spoke extremely highly about the Rakhmani justice system and concluded his speech by pledging his allegiance to the Tzar and the State Council. Crowds errupted in cheers and his speech dubbed "Bozgaşt" was broadcast across the entire nation. Voronin would once again be granted ownership of the Koman Corporation and he would continue touring the nation for 6 months following his release, praising the government and his sentence. Many still found his mysterious disappearance and rapid pardoning a little bit suspicious but there was no evidence that anything foul had occured. At the completion of his tour, he began restoring the Koman Pul oil platform in the Southern Ocean. Luckily, his mine in Byasa had not shut down due to its international status so he still had funds from there. He quickly developed Koman back to its former glory, gaining back investors such as Yingtai Feng and continuing his contract with Trevol Industries. On 11 June, 2017, Voronin would officially restore his status as the second richest man in Rakhman and even surpass his net worth prior to his arrest.
