This Woman Was Swept Off Her Feet By A Russian Billionaire – But Then Her World Collapsed

Alexandra Tolstoy knew she was falling in love with her charming, wealthy suitor. And how could she not? He had it all, after all, and she could only imagine the life of wonder that lay before them. Little did Tolstoy know that the path ahead ended in a darker future than anything she could have envisioned.

Tolstoy’s lover was a Russian politician by the name of Sergei Pugachev. And to say that he was rich is an understatement – he was actually among the top 1,000 richest people in the world. Pugachev amassed such a substantial wealth from various sources as a member of elite Russian business leaders called oligarchs.

Pugachev grew to power during the aftermath of the former Soviet Union. During this time period, the privatization of Russia meant that successful businessmen accumulated both wealth and power quickly. Pugachev cemented a place for himself as a private bank owner, co-founding Mezhprombank, one of the biggest in the country.

However, that wasn’t the limit to Pugachev’s business assets. He was also the owner of the world’s largest coal mine, a pair of shipyards, and real estate in both St. Petersburg and Moscow. In addition, the oligarch had his own fashion brand, further enhancing his fortune. That’s the kind of money that buys a lot of freedom.

It’s no wonder, then, that the lifestyle appealed to carefree countess Alexandra Tolstoy. She had inherited her family name as a distant relative of famous author Leo Tolstoy, and writing runs in her family more broadly. Her father’s also an author, but Tolstoy herself is more of an adventurous type by nature. And what could be more exciting than marrying a billionaire? But what started as a dream eventually turned into a nightmare.