Kirjahaku

‘Who is Alex? Is he the gifted businessman whose interests have netted him billions of dollars, whose generosity and charm has beguiled the world’s elite? Or is he the cold-blooded killer accused by the French police of poisoning his lover? A ruthless but brilliant conman who made millions by creating a fictitious persona?’Alexandre Despallières bewitched everyone he met with his disarming good looks and killer charm. But this had tragic consequences for many he got close to, as he left a trail of suspicious deaths in his wake.Posing as a billionaire businessman dying of an inoperable brain tumour, Despallières seduced and married music industry legend Peter Ikin in 2008. Just one month later, Ikin died of a paracetamol overdose and Despallières was set to inherit his estate, worth millions, through a forged will.As investigations unfolded, other suspected victims emerged, including Despallières’s own parents. Others narrowly managed to escape a similar fate, such as a Hollywood heiress, who Despallières convinced to adopt him, and conned her out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.Despallières died in 2022, just before he was due to stand trial, leaving unanswered questions behind. In Love Until Death, Chris Hutchins untangles Despallières’s web of deceit, and gains the trust of Despallières himself, who reveals his version of events for the first time.

Roman Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Chelsea FC, was a penniless orphan who rose from the ashes of Soviet Russia to become one of the richest and most powerful men in the world. His fascinating life story has been shrouded in mystery - until now.Journalists Dominic Midgley and Chris Hutchins get to grips with the Russian boss of Chelsea FC, who has revolutionised English football since he bought the club in the summer of 2003, since when it has won two Premiership titles. Every aspect of his past, present and future is examined - his upbringing, including his Jewish background, the friendships that helped him break into the top ranks of the Kremlin, his leading role in the rise of the oligarchs in Russia, the business deals that made him a fortune in less than ten years, and the ambition that promises to make him as big a name in the West as in his homeland. Using exhaustive primary research, the authors uncover the exclusive stories behind the billions Ambramovich made in Russia as Western-style capitalism was introduced by President Putin. They also investigate his reasons for investing part of it in a fashionable London football club.The rise of Roman Abramovich from provincial orphan to one of the most powerful men in Russia is a story that has all the ingredients of a thriller: risk-taking, courage, shrewdness, ruthlessness and, above all, a subtle and manipulative charm. An incredible story' - Mail on Sunday'Well researched and fluently written' - The Times'Draws a picture of a man of immense ruthlessness, nerve and charm . . . offers a Vanity Fair of Russian oligarchy' - The SpectatorA superb insight into the Chelsea boss . . . a must read for both football fans and business tycoons' - Sunday Business Post'A well-researched investigation into the life and times of Chelsea's owner' - World Soccer'The first sustained effort to uncover the making of Chelsea's oligarch' - Guardian'Authors Dominic Midgley and Chris Hutchins go to commendable lengths to tell the story' - Sunday Times'Where this book sets itself apart is in its quest to discover Abramovich's true identity. Interviews with his childhood friends, neighbours and teachers in Russia offer an original perspective on the man while access to the informed such as Boris Berezovsky, his one-time mentor, provides a picture of a canny dealmaker and consummate politician' - The Times'Most fascinating account . . . should be read by anyone not just with an interest in sport but also in business and in politics' - Press and Journal