U.S. Indicts Man for $450 Million Fraud Against Mexican Billionaire
Vladimir Sklarov, a 63-year-old man with multiple aliases, has been charged in the United States for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that defrauded Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego of approximately $450 million. Sklarov, who also went by the names Gregory Mitchell and Mark Simon Bentley, allegedly set up a fake company, Astor Asset Group, claiming it was linked to the prestigious Astor family. This company purported to offer a stock-backed loan to Salinas, who was seeking a $100 million loan secured by company shares. Instead, Sklarov and his co-conspirators sold the shares, using some proceeds to fund the loan and keeping the rest. Sklarov was arrested in Chicago and faces charges in New York. 
