The Carlton Intercontinental hotel on the exclusive
Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes was the setting for an extraordinarily
brazen diamond heist at the weekend, in which a lone gunman strolled into a
jewellery exhibition taking place at the hotel and stuffed a suitcase with
millions of pounds worth of Leviev diamonds before walking out.
The owner of
Leviev diamonds, Lev Leviev, is yet to comment on the theft. Apart from being a
billionaire with an amazingly alliterative name, just who is this wronged bling merchant?
The Soviet-born mogul got involved with the diamond industry
shortly after his family emigrated to Israel when he was 15 years old.
He first
worked as an apprentice in a diamond polishing plant, learning how to cut
diamonds, before setting up his own plant.
Leviev has made his fortune with an eclectic business
profile; he owns everything from diamond mines in Angola to a string of convenience
stores in Texas.
He has also been busy snapping up high-profile property in
America, such as the former New York Times building. In interviews, he is quick
to point out his philanthropic efforts, which are mainly Jewish causes.
However, his companies have never been far from controversy.
His mining companies in Angola and Namibia, and the private security firms they
use, have been accused of numerous unsavoury practices, by human rights
organisations.
Equally controversial are Leviev’s investments in the
construction of settlements in the West Bank.
One thing’s for sure, Leviev won’t be pleased with the
weekend’s events. And the latest news that the value of the jewels stolen has
been raised from £34.5m to £88.5m after a more complete inventory is only
likely to upset him further.
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