A riveting investigation of the worlds most notorious weapons dealer, viktor bout, whose postcold war arms. Written in middle english in the 14th century, it is widely. Farah and braun have exposed the inner workings of one of the worlds most secretive businesses the international arms trade. Russian arms dealer viktor bout was found guilty of conspiring to sell weapons to south american terrorists wednesday. Viktor bout sentenced to 25 years in prison world news the. Douglas farah of foreign policy explains why the merchant of death has russia worried. Arms dealer viktor bout, known as the merchant of death, is sentenced to the mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison. A russian entrepreneur who was then twentyeight years old, he had flown to sofia. Bout is a 2014 documentary film directed by tony gerber and maxim pozdorovkin. The notorious mr bout, a featurelength documentary film on merchant of death viktor bout in which i appear and on which i consulted is to premiere at this years sundance film festival. The book tells the story of viktor bout, an entrepreneur who built an air transportation empire using superseded russian aircraft following the demise of the ussr. Sep, 2007 meet viktor bout, the reallife lord of war journalist douglas farah, coauthor of a new book on viktor bout, tells how the tajikborn arms dealer forged a lucrative career skirting u. It was also screened at the 2014 truefalse film festival. Merchant of death 2005 and outlaws inc 2011, which also deals with his bust, extradition and trial following us dealed sting operation in bangkok.
Outcries and censorship around literature are far from new, and some of the books that were notorious or controversial in their day wouldnt even have folks batting an eye now. Bergen, author of the osama bin laden i knowviktor bout is like osama bin laden. The authors are writing a book about viktor bout, which. A dea agent, an undercover sting and the merchant of. Aug 21, 20 viktor anatolyevich bout was possibly born in tajikistan, possibly in 1967, and is said to be a polyglot speaking six languages that include persian and esperanto yes, esperanto from age 12. A riveting investigation of the worlds most notorious arms dealera pageturner that digs deep into the amazing, murky story of viktor bout. Aug 14, 2014 curiously jolly yet immoral viktor bout is the subject of the new documentary the notorious mr bout. Aug 23, 2010 notorious arms dealer, viktor bout, is coming to america to stand trial. Most notorious arms dealers in modern history msongo. Until three days prior to his 2008 arrest on charges of conspiring to kill americans, bout kept the camera running, documenting a life spent in the grey areas of international law.
Viktor bout sentenced to 25 years by us court video. Nov 22, 2016 viktor bout, 49, was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill u. Fascinating documentary portrays arms dealer viktor bout as more chancer than villain, writes henry barnes. The airstan crew were just one of dozens flying for entrepreneur, reputed billionaire, former soviet military and suspected russian intelligence agent, viktor bout. They described the life of viktor bout, one of the worlds most notorious arms dealers. Bout took advantage of the fall of the soviet union to amass and sell weapons ranging from guns to.
Farah and braun have skillfully documented how this notorious arms dealer has stoked violence around the world and thwarted international sanctions. Mark bowden, author of guests of the ayatollah viktor bout is like osama bin laden. Praise for merchant of deatha riveting investigation of the worlds most notorious arms dealera pageturner that digs deep into the amazing, murky story of viktor bout. Bout arrived at mirchevs office, and they went out for dinner. More commonly known as the merchant of death, bout was public enemy no. Guns, ammunition and other larger weaponry mean big business all over the world, and where theres money. He has covered national affairs since 1993, based first in chicago and then for the past nine years in washington. With alla bout, sergei bout, viktor bout, wim brown. Bout had a sly smile, and his blue eyes were offset by a brown mustache. Notorious arms dealer, viktor bout, is coming to america to stand trial.
The home movies of arms dealer viktor bout reveal a different character. Viktor bout viktor anatolyevich bout, the most notorious arms smuggler on this list, currently faces seeing out the rest of his life behind bars. Here we analyze the court transcripts and media accounts of the prosecution of notorious arms trafficker viktor bout. Viktor bout made his first major foray into the weapons business in 1995, on a pleasant summer day in bulgaria. The film focuses on the life of viktor bout, an international arms smuggler.
In sharp contrast to the image of a war profiteer and international arms dealer is another bout. Meet viktor bout, the reallife lord of war journalist douglas farah, coauthor of a new book on viktor bout, tells how the tajikborn arms dealer forged a lucrative career skirting u. In showcasing the persona that is viktor bout, however, the documentary unfortunately glosses over some of the intricacies of the global arms trade and indeed some of bouts more notorious. Bout is a portrait of a life much mythologized but little understood. Viktor anatolyevich bout the merchant of death viktor anatolyevich bout russian.
Feature documentary the notorious mr bout to premiere. Viktor bouts life is also the subject of two books, both read by the makers. Bout is reported to have made substantial amounts of money shipping goods in africa and the middle east in the 1990s and 2000s, and the former military translator for the soviet union may well have fed the flames of various african civil wars by supplying vast quantities of. Thrilling new book tells the story of how the worlds most wanted arms dealer was captured 1573 the airstan crew were just one of dozens flying for entrepreneur, reputed billionaire, former soviet military and suspected russian intelligence agent, viktor bout. The testimony and assistance of a dual britishsouth african citizen was crucial in securing the conviction of notorious arms dealer viktor bout. Meet viktor bout, the reallife lord of war mother jones. Mirchev, a small man with boxy cheeks, liked him, but was struck by his illiteracy in the arms trade. What follows are the ten most notorious arms dealers in modern history. Washington the long hunt for one of the worlds most notorious arms dealers climaxed thursday in bangkok, thailand, where an eightmonth undercover sting by a team of u. Viktor bout was a russian entrepreneur, a war profiteer, an aviation magnate, an arms smuggler and, strangest of all, an amateur filmmaker.
From the notorious viktor bout market road films and bond360 i love that the words are viktors. Bout the reallife villain depicted in the hollywood movie lord of war has sold weapons to some of the most ruthless groups, fueling the horrendous conflicts in the democratic republic of the congo. Reutersfile photo preet bharara, one of the most influential prosecutors in the united states, was fired on saturday by the trump administration after he refused to step down. On a different note, there are some great animated sequences throughout the film illustrating geography and courtroom proceedings, presumably to orient the viewer, communicate the reach of viktors business, and visualize events for which only. Nov 05, 2015 o n a warm summer day in 2012, the filmmaker maxim pozdorovkin drove out to an affluent suburb of moscow to visit the home of viktor bout, the worlds most infamous arms dealer. Apr 22, 2018 they claimed they were the ateam the guys who could get one of the worlds most wanted men, notorious russian armsdealer viktor bout.
After working as a translator in the soviet army until 1991, bout would go on to run air freight as in, not really to afghanistan, sierra. Extradited from thailand to america in 2010 following a fiveyear operation by the dea, the russian national stands accused of illegally arming the revolutionary armed forces of colombia in their. Viktor bout, convicted russian arms smuggler, asks trump to. Six questions for steve braun on gunrunner viktor bout. Viktor anatolyevich bout was possibly born in tajikistan, possibly in 1967, and is said to be a polyglot speaking six languages that include persian and esperanto yes, esperanto from age 12. Apr 24, 2008 this book was recommended to me by a friend. Frankl has 83 books on goodreads with 870116 ratings. It premiered on january 17, 2014 at the sundance film festival. Jan 17, 2014 directed by tony gerber, maxim pozdorovkin. Money, guns, planes, and the man who makes war possible. International man of mystery flying anything to anybody the rise and fall of viktor bout, armsdealer extraordinaire, shows a darker side of globalisation christmas specials dec 18th 2008 edition. Bout, from market road films and directed by tony gerber and maxim pozdorovkin, received its premiere at the 2014 sundance film festival.
Dec 14, 2011 the following men were or are masters at the gun game shady figures who have traveled far and wide trafficking and distributing arms for cold hard cash while attempting to stay one step ahead of the authorities and their business rivals. Frankls most popular book is mans search for meaning. Suspected russian arms dealer viktor bout front c is escorted by drug enforcement administration dea officers after arriving at. The notorious mr bout has just been added to the bbcs storyville season for 201516. Brauns post911 reporting with a team of times reporters on the logistics of terrorism led to a series of stories about the activities of viktor bout, a russian. Thrilling new book tells the story of how the worlds most. Veiled by the obscurity of postsoviet russia, bout had built an empire of aerial delivery so vast he was called the. This documentary follows viktor bout, a russian entrepeneur, a war profiteer, an aviation magnate, an arms smuggler and, strangest of all, an amateur filmmaker. Viktor bout, convicted russian arms smuggler, asks trump.
Secrets exposed selective state concern and the prosecution. This is a fantastic, albeit academic, book about viktor bout, the notorious international arms trafficker. Viktor bout made his first major foray into the weapons business in 1995, on a. Viktor vassilyevich bout, considered to be the worlds most notorious arms dealer who has been deeply involved in africas conflicts since the 1990s, had an uncanny knack of keeping out of jail. But is there another side to merchant of death viktor bout. When he was arrested in 2008 in thailand as a result of a u. Farah and braun have exposed the inner workings of one of the worlds most secretive businessesthe international arms trade. O n a warm summer day in 2012, the filmmaker maxim pozdorovkin drove out to an affluent suburb of moscow to visit the home of viktor bout, the. This is a story of viktor bout,the biggest illegal arms dealer in the world. Viktor bout, 49, was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill u.
They claimed they were the ateam the guys who could get one of the worlds most wanted men, notorious russian armsdealer viktor bout. Bout hardly fit his accusers portrayal of him as one of the worlds most notorious weapons. Bout, the doc exposes the wild life and unconvential professions of russian buisnessman viktor bout. The book also serves as a timely prologue to bouts arrest and detainment in march 2008, an event that will likely be addressed in subsequent versionspublications of the book.
Viktor bout may be one of the worlds most notorious arms dealers but he is not necessarily unique, and by no means will he be the last. In 2007, stephen braun and douglas farah published a book about bout. Wearing a soiled prison uniform and leg irons that clanked across the courtroom floor, mr. Thailand blocks extradition of viktor bout, held in arms. Obsessed with security, in recent years he hardly ever left the safety of moscow, where according to a wide variety of sources he clearly enjoyed high. International man of mystery flying anything to anybody. This is a story of viktor bout, the biggest illegal arms dealer in the world. After a 2008 us sting operation, international arms smuggler viktor bout s career came to a decisive end. Bad reputation the most notorious books on abebooks. The illegal weapons trade suited and booted international. How to find the story in your documentary film lights.
Dubbed the merchant of death and portrayed by nicolas cage in lord of war. It was also screened at the 2014 truefalse film festival the film was shown in the uk on september 29, 2014, on the bbc four channel. Illustration omitted the russian parliament and media refer to him merely as a russian businessman. By mark mcconville the moment the worlds most wanted arms dealer was captured thanks to the efforts of a former sas soldier has been grippingly documented in a new book. What led up to this sensational arrest was the epic life of a man veiled by the obscurity of postsoviet russia. A washington post best book of the year a riveting investigation of the worlds most notorious weapons dealer, viktor bout, whose postcold war arms. Viktor bout is a fascinating character who had a remarkable career in the gunrunning business.
Russian arms dealer known as the merchant of death convicted on terrorism charges resulting from a us sting operation. Damian lewis new book, operation relentless, details the moment that russian master criminal viktor bout, known to the press as the merchant of death, was finally pinned down by police in a. But to much of the rest of the world, viktor bout is known as the merchant of death, the most notorious member of the dark fraternity of global weapons traffickers who arm terrorist organizations, as well as the tyrannical regimes and brutal warlords and militias responsible for. Russian entrepreneur and arms smuggler victor bout documented his extraordinary life in home videos right up until his arrest by the us government.
The rise and fall of the worlds most notorious weapons trafficker. Under preet bharara the doj office successfully extradited and prosecuted one of the most notorious arms traffickers in the world, viktor bout. Its an interesting look into the murky world of arms merchants, and a big player in that game. Dea agents william brown, left, lou milione and their team apprehended the one of the worlds most dangerous arms dealers.
1540 692 415 1580 430 288 1213 413 704 124 139 1255 1335 1443 1285 350 645 271 799 724 980 747 251 438 1078 1544 1255 1030 670 1538 1095 1129 1532 1214 1356 89 197 1247 1004 981 1225 1349 844