Viktor Bout Net Worth: How the “Merchant of Death” Made His Fortune
Viktor Bout is a notorious Russian arms dealer who has been dubbed the “Merchant of Death” for his role in supplying weapons to some of the world’s most violent conflicts.
He was arrested in 2008 in Thailand and extradited to the US, where he was convicted of terrorism charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
But in 2022, he was released in a prisoner swap for American basketball player Brittney Griner, who had been jailed in Russia for drug smuggling.
So how much is Viktor Bout worth, and how did he make his money?
Viktor Bout Wife
Viktor Bout is married to Alla Bout, who has been his loyal supporter throughout his legal battles.
They met in 1992 in Moscow, where Alla worked as a secretary at a travel agency.
They married soon after and had a daughter, Elizabeth, who was born in 1996.
Alla Bout has always maintained her husband’s innocence and campaigned for his release.
She also ran his air cargo business, Air Cess, while he was on the run from international authorities.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Alla Bout has a net worth of $50 million, which she inherited from her husband.
Viktor Bout House
Viktor Bout owned several properties around the world, including a luxurious mansion in Moscow’s affluent suburb of Zhukovka.
The house, which was reportedly worth $6 million, featured a swimming pool, a sauna, a gym, and a cinema room.
It was also decorated with various souvenirs from Bout’s travels, such as model airplanes, African figurines, and books on mysticism.
The house was raided by Russian police in 2008 after Bout’s arrest, and it is unclear what happened to it afterward.
Viktor Bout Now
Viktor Bout is currently back in Russia, where he received a hero’s welcome upon his arrival.
He has joined the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, and announced his intention to run for local elections in 2023.
He has also expressed his support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and offered to volunteer as a fighter.
Viktor has also given several interviews to Russian media, where he has denied any wrongdoing and accused the US of fabricating evidence against him.
Viktor Bout Height
Bout stands at a height of 5 feet 11 inches.
He weighs about 73kg.
Viktor Bout Nickname
Viktor Bout earned the nickname “Merchant of Death” after British minister Peter Hain read a report to the United Nations in 2003 on Bout’s wide-reaching operations, extensive clientele, and willingness to bypass embargoes.
The report accused Bout of being “the principal conduit for planes and supply routes that take arms from Eastern Europe, principally Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine, to Africa and the Middle East.”
The nickname was also popularized by the book Merchant of Death: Money, Guns, Planes and the Man Who Makes War Possible by Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun.
Viktor Bout 2023
Viktor Bout plans to run for local elections in Russia in 2023 as a candidate of the LDPR party.
He has said that he wants to use his experience and skills to serve his country and fight against corruption.
He has also expressed his willingness to join the Russian troops fighting in Ukraine if needed.
Viktor has said that he considers himself a patriot and a victim of political persecution by the US.
How many firearms did Viktor Bout sell?
It is hard to estimate how many firearms Viktor Bout sold during his career as an arms dealer, as he operated through a network of shell companies and frontmen that made it difficult to trace his transactions.
However, some reports suggest that he may have sold hundreds of thousands of weapons, including:
- assault rifles
- rocket launchers
- anti-aircraft missiles
- grenades
- landmines
- ammunition.
He is believed to have supplied arms to various rebel groups and regimes in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, such as:
- the Taliban
- Al Qaeda
- UNITA
- FARC
- Charles Taylor’s Liberia
- Laurent Kabila’s Congo
- Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya
How old is Victor Boot?
Victor Boot is 56 years old as of 2023.
He was born on January 13th, 1967 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Conclusion
Viktor Bout is one of the most infamous arms dealers in history, who made a fortune by selling weapons to some of the most violent conflicts around the world.
He was arrested in 2008 by US authorities and sentenced to 25 years in prison for terrorism charges.
However, he was released in 2022 in a prisoner swap for American basketball player Brittney Griner.
He is now back in Russia, where he has joined a far-right political party and plans to run for local elections in 2023.
Viktor has also expressed his support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and offered to volunteer as a fighter.
He has a net worth of $50 million, which he shares with his wife Alla Bout, who has stood by him throughout his legal troubles.
He has a daughter named Elizabeth, who was born in 1996.
Viktor is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 73kg.
He is known as the “Merchant of Death” for his role in fueling wars and chaos around the globe.
