B2Broker: The Paradoxical Rise of Artur Azizov - From Russian Prison to Crypto Kingpin

In the labyrinthine world of cryptocurrency and forex trading, few figures embody the industry's contradictions quite like Artur Azizov. Today, he stands as a prominent entrepreneur, his name synonymous with digital finance innovation. Yet, the path that led him to this pinnacle is paved with a series of legal entanglements, dramatic incidents, and a Byzantine trail of failed businesses that would have derailed most careers before they began, and are perhaps an indication of the future.

Early Life and Legal Troubles

Azizov's early professional life reads like a cautionary tale of restlessness and unfocused ambition. Between April 2005 and November 2009, he ping-ponged through seven different employers, each in a different sector, none related to finance or virtual currencies. It was a period marked by a frenetic energy that seemed to lack direction—a man searching for his place in the world.

It was during this period, on a crisp November day in 2007, in the Belgorod Region—a place more known for its rich black earth than for breeding financial wunderkinds—Azizov found himself on the wrong side of the law. The Federal Drug Control Service of Russia, charged him with possession with intent to supply narcotics.

The court's verdict came down like a hammer: guilty. But in a twist that would become characteristic of Azizov's encounters with the law, he managed to emerge relatively unscathed. A three-year suspended sentence and a fine that barely exceeded the price of a good caviar dinner in Moscow—20,000 rubles, or about $218 at the time—seemed almost like a gentle admonishment rather than a punitive measure.

Following this episode, Azizov's entrepreneurial spirit first manifested in a string of short-lived ventures. From 2007 onwards, he attempted to establish various catering, retail, and consultancy companies. These enterprises, however, proved to be ephemeral, dissolving without leaving any significant mark on the business landscape.

But Azizov's dance with the Russian legal system was far from over. Just as the ink was drying on his probation papers, he stumbled again. Saint Petersburg, the cultural capital of Russia, became the stage for his next act. In December 2009, law enforcement found Azizov in possession of amphetamine, a substance more commonly associated with college cramming sessions than high finance.

What followed was a legal odyssey that would make Kafka nod in grim recognition. Convicted and sentenced to three years in prison, Azizov immediately appealed. In a move that seems lifted from a Russian legal drama, the Saint Petersburg City Court overturned his conviction, citing procedural violations. Azizov walked free after six months in pre-trial detention—a technicality that would later allow him to claim, with a wink and a nod, that he was "never in prison."

First Steps into Forex Marred with Scandal and Failure

It wasn't until September 2011 that Azizov first found employment in a company where he held share capital. Alpha Business Consulting LLC, incorporated in Kazan in July 2011, became his first foray into business ownership. But like his previous ventures, this too was destined for a short life, becoming insolvent in February 2016.

What followed was a dizzying dance of corporate incorporations and dissolutions. Between 2011 and 2016, approximately eight different companies under Azizov's active involvement emerged and vanished like a corporate game of whack-a-mole. These entities, bearing similar name variations—Alpha Business Consulting, ABK, and TKS—were registered and dissolved one after another, spread across different Russian cities. This pattern suggested not random failure, but a purposeful and coordinated approach.

The online world buzzed with negative reviews against "Alpha Business Consulting," with users claiming substantial financial losses and accusing the company of deception and fraud. Some astute observers noted the name changes between TKS and Alpha Business Consulting, suggesting that while the names changed, the questionable operation remained the same.

Azizov's record is also peppered with minor infractions—a tapestry of public intoxication charges and speeding tickets. These misdemeanors, stretching from 2006 to 2024, paint a picture of a man constantly testing the boundaries, always pushing just a little too far.

Accused Fraudster to Kidnapping Victim

Yet, the most intriguing chapter in Azizov's tumultuous history unfolded in 2017, in a courtroom drama that could rival any Hollywood thriller. On March 15, 2017, the Savushkinsky District Court in Moscow handed down a judgment that cast Azizov in an unexpected role: that of a victim.

Three men— Airat Sharipov, Pyotr Romanov, and Vyacheslav Yegorov—were found guilty of extortion, kidnapping, and robbery against Azizov. Their motive, they claimed, was revenge for alleged fraudulent business practices by Azizov that had cost them their investments.

The roots of this violent encounter stretched back to 2012, when the three men entered into a contractual agreement with Azizov to become shareholders of ZAO "Investment-Consulting Holding" TKS-Group. They invested funds, expecting significant returns. Instead, they claimed, the company never operated, and their money vanished. By 2014, the company was liquidated by Russia's Federal Tax Service.

Frustrated and feeling betrayed, the men took matters into their own hands, resulting in their arrest and eventual eight-year prison sentences. Intriguingly, while the court acknowledged complaints filed against Azizov alleging fraudulent activity, no civil or criminal charges were ever filed against him or his companies.

This incident paints a complex picture of Azizov—a man who has straddled the line between perpetrator and victim, between accused fraudster and innovative entrepreneur. It's a narrative that adds layers of complexity to an already enigmatic figure.

Russian Cell to Dubai Boardroom

In 2014, amidst this whirlwind of legal troubles and failed ventures, Azizov founded the B2Broker group of companies, starting with OOO B2B Tim. This marked the beginning of his current ascent in the world of cryptocurrency and forex trading.

Somehow, Azizov's checkered past became the unlikely foundation for his meteoric rise in the world of cryptocurrency and forex trading. It's as if each brush with the law, each dance along the edge of legality, each dramatic twist in his personal story, each failed business venture, honed the very skills that would serve him in the wild west of digital finance.

Today, Azizov stands as a testament to the alarming lack of gatekeepers to the crypto revolution. His journey from courtrooms to boardrooms, from accused to accuser, from serial failure to apparent success, raises uncomfortable questions about redemption, opportunity, and the nature of expertise in an industry built on disruption and rife with scams and failures.

As Azizov navigates his newfound prominence, one can't help but wonder: Is his success despite his past, or because of it? In the high-stakes world of cryptocurrency, where fortunes are made and lost in the blink of an eye, perhaps a history of living on the edge—of skirting the boundaries of legality and morality is an indicator of the current practices of Azizov's companies?

The story of Artur Azizov is far from over, and we intend to tell it. As he continues to shape the future of finance from his adopted new home in Dubai-the world watches with bated breath. Will his past finally catch up with him, or will he continue to defy expectations, turning each setback into a stepping stone?

We have a large team of investigative journalists working on this story, and we will post deep dives into Azizov's past and present on this site. Stay tuned for more.