I would be hard pressed to not believe it. From my own experience.

I don't know Yuri - you do.

He may as well be the only honest Russian oligarch (or a front for the only honest Russian oligarch).

But what GP posted is the state of affairs everywhere in eastern block and by far the norm.

Thus you must understand if people think less of you because of your associates. It is an prejudice but a well founded one.

In the end it won't matter anyway. But this is the way things work. I believe I read somewhere that yourself are of Russian ancestry? If so I believe you should be familiar with long tradition of tyranny of the few in Russia.

<People like Milner and others associated with Russian oligarchs spend lavishly because the money they have came with no sacrifice on their part. The sacrifice came from all those miners working in subzero temperatures in the Kazakh steppe for kopeks a day, their bodies broken down prematurely, with the share of wealth that was promised to them stolen away. And instead of those who betrayed them being brought to justice, they instead depart to the West where they are greeted with applause by those who mistake cunningness with intelligence>

Pg it~s time yo returm the $$$$ back you sold you sole and sold out Nuff Said