Tamir Sapir
Encyclopedia
Tamir Sapir; *1948/49, Tbilisi
) is an American immigrant from the former Soviet republic of Georgia
who made millions bartering fertilizer and oil with the Soviets in the 1980s; he took most of his money and put it into New York real-estate. Tamir is in The 400 Richest Americans list of September 2008,number 246,with net worth of 1.9 billion dollars. In March 2010, he ranked 721st on the Forbes Magazine list of billionaires, with a net worth 1.4 billion dollars.
He and his family (mother and young wife) emigrated to Israel
in 1973 but in that time the Yom Kippur War
emerged and Sapir (he changed his last name in Israel) moved to the United States
. Tamir didn't speak English and was employed as a social worker in Kentucky
. Then he became a taxicab
driver in New York City
. Saving up to buy an electronics store, he catered primarily to Russian
clientele. Eventually he made contacts with the Soviet contingent to the United Nations
in New York, and traded electronics for oil contracts, which he then sold to American companies. Investing the profits in Manhattan real estate in the 1990s, he became a billionaire by 2002. Sapir is sometimes referred to as America's "billionaire cabbie."
He is well-known in Russia mainly by bringing suit against a Moscow oil refinery after it violated the terms of a contract by failing to transfer oil products for delivered equipment. Sapir won the case in 2005, but received none of the $28 million the Moscow company was ordered to pay.
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
) is an American immigrant from the former Soviet republic of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
who made millions bartering fertilizer and oil with the Soviets in the 1980s; he took most of his money and put it into New York real-estate. Tamir is in The 400 Richest Americans list of September 2008,number 246,with net worth of 1.9 billion dollars. In March 2010, he ranked 721st on the Forbes Magazine list of billionaires, with a net worth 1.4 billion dollars.
Early life
Tamir Sapir was born in the family of a senior military officer in 1948 or 1949 (it's known he was 25 years old when he arrived in the United States). In the early 1970s he studied journalism in Tbilisi University but had to earn money to support his family because of his father's death. His business was to fill out emigration forms and other documents for Soviet Jews.He and his family (mother and young wife) emigrated to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1973 but in that time the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
emerged and Sapir (he changed his last name in Israel) moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Tamir didn't speak English and was employed as a social worker in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Then he became a taxicab
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
driver in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Saving up to buy an electronics store, he catered primarily to Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
clientele. Eventually he made contacts with the Soviet contingent to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York, and traded electronics for oil contracts, which he then sold to American companies. Investing the profits in Manhattan real estate in the 1990s, he became a billionaire by 2002. Sapir is sometimes referred to as America's "billionaire cabbie."
He is well-known in Russia mainly by bringing suit against a Moscow oil refinery after it violated the terms of a contract by failing to transfer oil products for delivered equipment. Sapir won the case in 2005, but received none of the $28 million the Moscow company was ordered to pay.