Kaufman Boris Rafailovich

The shadow "watcher" of Odessa, to whom nearly every anti-corruption investigation in the city leads

Odessa businessman, lawyer, former city council deputy, born in 1973. Owner of the Vertex United group, the "Londonska" and "Bristol" hotels, and the tobacco monopoly "Tedys Ukraine" (revenue ~60 billion UAH). NABU called his system a "conveyor of corruption": control over the city council, budget, and "tribute" from developers.

Airport, bail, and "friend of Arakhamia"

According to the investigation, in 2011 Kaufman and partner Granovsky transferred 75% of Odessa International Airport into private hands — the scheme's income was estimated at 2.5 billion UAH. In 2023, the High Anti-Corruption Court arrested him (bail set at 129 million), and in 2025 Kaufman reached a plea deal, admitted guilt, and avoided prison with approximately 1 billion UAH in restitution. In parallel, Bihus.Info revealed that the head of the "Servant of the People" faction, Davyd Arakhamia, has been traveling abroad for years using "Tedys" company cars — "just friendship." The tobacco empire originally grew out of the Russian "Megapolis."