What is Viktor Bout's Net Worth?
Viktor Bout, a reputed international arms dealer, has an estimated net worth of $50 million. Over several decades, especially during the 1980s and 1990s, Bout allegedly utilized his extensive air transport network to smuggle an immense arsenal of weapons from Eastern Europe to the Middle East and Africa following the Soviet Union's collapse.
"One of the world's most successful and sophisticated arms traffickers." – United States prosecutors, describing Viktor.
In 2008, Bout was apprehended in Thailand on terrorism charges. By 2011, he was convicted in the United States of conspiring to kill US officials and citizens, leading to a 25-year prison sentence. Notably, Nicolas Cage depicted Viktor Bout in the 2005 film "Lord of War." On December 8, 2022, Bout was exchanged back to Russia in a prisoner swap for WNBA player Brittney Griner.
Early Life
Viktor Bout was born on January 13, 1967, in Dushanbe, then part of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic. Limited information is available about his early life, and even his birth date remains uncertain.
Military Service
Bout graduated from the Military Institute of Foreign Languages and served in the Soviet Armed Forces. With his linguistic training, Bout became proficient in numerous languages, including Portuguese, Persian, Arabic, English, French, and Russian. His multilingual prowess led him to serve as a translator for the Soviet Army until his alleged discharge in 1991 following the USSR's dissolution.
Career Beginnings
After leaving the Soviet Army, Bout pursued various ventures. On his personal website, Bout claims he founded Air Cess, an air freight business based in Angola that served clients such as the US, France, and the United Nations. In 1994, he facilitated shipments to Afghanistan's pre-Taliban government. Other sources, however, suggest Bout may have been a GRU major, KGB operative, or served in the Soviet Air Forces.
Arms Trafficking
Between 1996 and 1998, Bout allegedly smuggled diverse weaponry from Bulgaria to Africa, possibly aiding UNITA in Angola's Civil War. He was also accused of supplying arms to Liberian warlord Charles Taylor during Liberia's first civil war and of arms trafficking in the Yugoslav Wars.
In 2004, Bout and associate Richard Chichakli established an airline in Tajikistan for rumored money laundering. During this period, Bout allegedly provided arms to various African groups and sent surface-to-air missiles to Kenya for an Israeli aircraft attack. Despite his extensive activities in Libya and elsewhere, authorities struggled to build a definitive case against him due to his constant mobility and multiple company operations.
Arrest and Extradition
In 2000, Bout faced forgery charges in the Central African Republic but was convicted in absentia, with charges eventually dropped. Two years later, Belgian authorities issued an Interpol red notice for money laundering against Bout, but the case was dismissed due to his elusive residency. In 2004, US authorities froze Bout's assets.
In early 2008, Bout was trapped in a DEA sting operation and arrested in Bangkok, Thailand, based on an Interpol red notice from the US. Despite an initial favorable ruling in Bangkok, an appeal saw Bout extradited to the US in late 2010, causing controversy and sanctions from the Russian government.
(Photo by U.S. Department of Justice via Getty Images)
Prosecution and Conviction
After his arrest in Bangkok, Bout faced numerous charges from the US Department of Justice, including conspiracy to kill US citizens and officials, providing resources to a foreign terrorist organization, and delivering anti-aircraft missiles. His trial concluded with a conviction in November 2011, and he was sentenced to 25 years in April 2012.
Brittney Griner Exchange
In July 2022, the US government proposed exchanging Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner, detained in Russia on drug possession charges. The swap was executed on December 8, 2022.
In the Media
Viktor Bout has been the inspiration or subject of various media. He was featured in Nick Kochan's 2005 book "The Washing Machine" and inspired the film "Lord of War" starring Nicolas Cage. Bout has also been the focus of the documentary "The Notorious Mr. Bout" (2014) and episodes of "Manhunt: Kill or Capture" and "Damian Lewis: Spy Wars."
