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Arrest of Putin’s Oldest ‘Mafia Friend’ Makes Russian Elite Tremble

In Russia, oligarchs sometimes fall off balconies, but that no longer causes an earthquake. The arrest of Russian businessman Ilya Traber (75), however, does. In Saint Petersburg, the city where organized crime and the political elite have been intertwined for decades, he was the only underworld figure whose friendship Vladimir Putin ever openly acknowledged. Until Traber was handcuffed.

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In Russia, oligarchs sometimes fall off balconies, but that no longer causes an earthquake. The arrest of Russian businessman Ilya Traber (75), however, does. In Saint Petersburg, the city where organized crime and the political elite have been intertwined for decades, he was the only underworld figure whose friendship Vladimir Putin ever openly acknowledged. Until Traber was handcuffed.

·Kobbegem, Belgium
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Center

Ilja Traber, a Russian businessman was arrested in St. Petersburg. News that makes noise while the man was so far untouchable. ...

·Brussels, Belgium
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La Libre broke the news in Brussels, Belgium on Monday, June 22, 2026.
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