Reborn Russia As An Oligarch

After the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, the ruble experienced a tragic depreciation!

Perhaps many people don’t know that the ruble used to be more valuable than the U.S. dollar. At its peak, one ruble could be exchanged for two U.S. dollars!

Of course, with the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, the ruble exchange rate began to plummet. In less than a year, it devalued to almost worthless...

With the gradual stabilization of society and the development of the country's economy, the ruble exchange rate is also slowly rising.

At the end of 2004, the exchange rate of the ruble to the US dollar was almost 27-30, that is, one US dollar can be exchanged for 28 rubles.

However, this exchange rate is floating, and the fluctuation range is not small, up or down by two or three rubles.

When the exchange rate fluctuates the most, perhaps one dollar can only be exchanged for 28 rubles in the morning, but by noon, one dollar can be exchanged for 29 rubles!

Don't underestimate the floating space of this ruble. When the amount is huge, the difference in price is astonishing.

Therefore, both those who go to Russia to do business and Russian locals prefer to hold U.S. dollars in cash to preserve their value.

But when it comes to local consumption, most places can only pay in rubles.

This gave rise to the need for free convertibility between the ruble and the U.S. dollar.

And the country still allows free exchange in this regard.

So, when you arrive in Moscow for the first time, you will find that the streets are full of exchange offices opened by banks, providing various foreign exchange services for rubles.

Of course, you can also use rubles to exchange for foreign exchange, such as US dollars, pounds, euros, etc.

However, it can be clearly seen that these exchange points prefer to collect foreign exchange and give you rubles, rather than collecting rubles and giving you foreign exchange...

You will understand with a simple example.

This kind of foreign exchange point will have an eye-catching sign hanging next to or above the window, which lists the exchange rates of several major foreign currencies for rubles.

They also provide foreign exchange for rubles and rubles for foreign exchange.

However, the exchange rates between these two businesses are completely different!

For example, when you exchange a U.S. knife for rubles, one U.S. dollar can be exchanged for 29 rubles.

But if you want to exchange rubles for U.S. dollars, only 30 rubles can be exchanged for one U.S. dollar...

This is also understandable. The point of exchange is to earn the price difference.

Otherwise, why would people open such a window?

However, if you think that banks operate such exchange points just to make a profit from the price difference.

That can only mean that you think too simply...

…………

MDM Bank, a subsidiary of Menichenko, also operates such a business, and MDM Bank has a large number of foreign exchange points all over the streets of Moscow!

One day in early December, on a small street intersecting New Arbat Street, more than a dozen Asian students were walking hurriedly.

As they walked, they were still talking about something, and their jabbering sounded more and more difficult to speak.

"Senior, is there really such a good thing? As long as you go over and sign in, you can get fifty dollars?" A short and thin boy asked the person walking in front.

The senior who was walking at the front had a little impatient expression on his face. He walked forward in a hurry and replied without looking back: "I've said it several times, it's just that simple. I'll wait for the fifty dollars later." I’ll send it to everyone, just ask me for it.”

"Then...there won't be any danger in this, right? I always feel...I always feel that this is not a good thing." The short and thin boy said timidly.

The leading senior was really angry this time. He stopped and turned around.

The group of students following behind also stopped quickly.

The senior stared at the short boy and said angrily:

“Ruan Dayong!

If you are afraid, then you don’t have to go, no one is asking you!

You have to know that this opportunity was obtained by asking for help. I originally thought that it would not be easy for everyone to study abroad, so I wanted to give everyone a chance to make extra money.

Let’s talk about you. You haven’t even graduated from preparatory school. You can’t speak a few words in Russian. If you want to go out to work, no one wants to work!

Where can I find such a good thing that I can get fifty dollars for just signing this!

Besides, there will be opportunities like this in the future, not just this one.

You also know that the big markets are now almost all Chinese business owners. The harder it is for us to have fewer and fewer bosses, which means that we will have no chance to work in the future.

If you don’t seize this opportunity to make money now, you will regret it in the future!

Tell me now, will you go or not? "

The short and thin boy named Ruan Dayong shrank his neck and said nonchalantly: "I'm just asking, how could I not go? Didn't I just follow you here, senior..."

Several other students also quickly tried to persuade him.

"Senior, forget it, Dayong is timid and fearful. Maybe he thinks it's too easy to make money, so he feels a little guilty, haha."

"I can't blame Dayong. To be honest, I'm a little worried. Senior, you only told us that we can get money by signing a signature, and you didn't tell us what it was about. These days, there aren't many good things that fall out of the sky. "

"Yes, yes, senior, just tell everyone what is going on."...

When he heard everyone asking questions, the senior couldn't continue to lose his temper. He said helplessly:

“Okay, then I’ll tell you.

This time I went to a bank and signed a remittance order. "

As soon as they heard this, the expressions of several students changed a bit. Everyone is sensitive to matters involving money!

And it’s remittance...

Are you asking people like you to pay? !

The senior took a look and quickly explained:

"Don't think nonsense, you don't need to pay a penny!

It's just a matter of signing your name.

Hey, this matter is quite complicated to explain. Let’s put it this way, we international students in Russia are required to remit a certain amount of U.S. dollars every year.

But you all know that we are all poor, haha. When we are exhausted, we just work to earn some pocket money for living expenses. It is impossible to really have a large amount of foreign exchange to remit.

Then this remittance amount is wasted.

Now, it is completely legal for others to just borrow our credit limit to remit money.

This fifty US dollars is just for everyone's hard work. After all, we can't let everyone's trip go in vain.

I explained it this way, does everyone understand? "

Everyone, including Ruan Dayong, suddenly realized that this was what happened!

Then this is understandable.

It's just that someone wants to take advantage of everyone's status as international students and send money out. Since it is done in a regular bank, it must be legal and compliant.

Of course, it is impossible to use everyone's identity and remittance limit in vain, just give each person a benefit fee of fifty US dollars.

It makes sense!

However, they are still preparatory students after all. They are young and can think about problems relatively easily.

No one is aware of the deeper problem.

That is, is it really legal to use loopholes in the rules to send large amounts of money abroad...

After solving the "questions" of the junior students, the senior continued to lead everyone forward. He had made an appointment with someone, so he couldn't be late!

If you don't do it well the first time you help someone, how will you get work from there in the future?

What he didn't tell his juniors was that the reason why he was so enthusiastic about bringing everyone to make extra money was because he also had benefits!

Just for the "agency fee", he can get fifty US dollars for every person he brings to sign!

In other words, the price offered by the other party is one hundred dollars per person...

This guy is still very evil, he just deducted half of it himself!

…………

After walking forward for two minutes, we arrived at our destination.

This street is a bit remote. It's December now. There is heavy snow in the sky, the cold wind is howling, and there are not many pedestrians on the road.

There is a common foreign exchange point on the side of the street. Two burly men holding submachine guns stand at the door.

This is also very common. After all, there is a lot of cash in the foreign exchange exchange point. If the security measures cannot keep up, it can be easily robbed!

The senior approached the foreign exchange window, but he was not exchanging foreign currency, but said a few words inside.

The walkie-talkie fastened to the chest of the burly man holding a submachine gun rang, and someone said something.

After hearing this, the security guard waved to the senior and motioned to follow him.

He opened an inconspicuous door next to the exchange point, and it was dark inside.

From the outside, this door looks like a very ordinary wooden door, but when you open it, you find that except for the outer layer of wooden boards, the inside is actually made of steel!

Moreover, it is not a house inside, but a tunnel extending underground, illuminated only by dim lights.

Ruan Dayong and the others stretched their heads and looked inside, a little hesitant to follow them in.

The senior seemed to have been here before. He turned around and told everyone: "The office of the exchange point is down here. It's very safe. Just follow me."

Hearing what he said, Ruan Dayong and the others were relieved a little.

Everyone followed the security guard down.

Behind them, another security guard has closed the door again...

…………

This tunnel is not very deep. After going down about one floor, your eyes suddenly opened up.

In front of the stairs is a brightly lit hall, but between the hall and the stairs, there are iron fences composed of thick and long steel bars.

Just like the iron cage in the police station.

The security personnel shouted something inside, and someone came over, opened the door, and let them in.

Ruan Dayong and the others dare not breathe at this moment, the atmosphere is really a bit depressing...

They all have many questions in their minds.

How to do banking business, not in the bank lobby, but in a basement like this?

This makes it seem like some illegal transaction is being conducted!

But they don't dare to ask now...

The senior took them to a counter. Behind the counter were two aunts with waists thicker than buckets.

He also warned everyone: "Get in line, take out your passports, and come one by one, very quickly."

Ruan Dayong and the others lined up obediently and took out the passports they had prepared.

The process was indeed smooth. One of the two aunts behind the counter skillfully took out blank remittance receipts and guided the more difficult international students to sign them.

Another person took everyone’s passports and copied them one by one.

Then staple the photocopy and the signed remittance receipt together.

Let Ruan Dayong and others sign the passport photocopies again.

That's it!

In the whole process, I only signed twice in total.

Seeing that the matter was successfully completed, the senior showed a satisfied smile on his face.

He said to everyone: "Wait for me a moment, I will go to the next office to collect everyone's pay."

With that said, he hurriedly walked to an office at the end of the hall.

Ruan Dayong and the others got their passports back and stood boredly in the hall waiting for their senior to come back.

They didn't dare to whisper to each other, because the security guard holding a submachine gun glanced over from time to time, as if he was afraid that they would rob...

………………

Standing in the hall, Ruan Dayong felt increasingly uneasy.

This thing is weird from start to finish.

It doesn't seem like a good thing...

But he couldn't tell what was wrong.

At this moment, there seemed to be a burst of chaotic and rapid footsteps overhead.

It was the sound of a dozen pairs of leather boots stepping on the iron stairs at the same time...

Ruan Dayong just turned his head to see what happened, but as soon as he turned around, he was stunned and froze there.

Not only him, but everyone in the entire basement hall, including the tough-looking security guard holding a submachine gun, also had the same expression.

And he reacted faster than Ruan Dayong. Not only did he stand still, he also raised his hands...

Across the iron fence made of steel bars, there was a group of special forces wearing bulletproof helmets on their heads, black hoods on their faces, camouflage combat uniforms, and holding micro rushes in their hands!

The three special forces standing at the front were holding huge explosion-proof shields in their hands.

This posture is like engaging in anti-terrorism operations...

Ruan Dayong and the others had never seen this scene before. Their legs were shaking and they felt like they were about to pee their pants!

Coincidentally, the senior had just come out of the office after receiving the money. He had not seen the group of special forces at first. He held up a stack of beautiful knives in his hand and shouted happily to Ruan Dayong and the others: "It's done! Walk……"

Before he finished speaking, he noticed something unusual in the hall.

…………

The whole process actually happens in just a few seconds.

With the gun pointed at the black hole, no one in the hall dared to move or speak. Everyone stood there stupidly.

My mind went blank, I didn't know what was going on.

A civilian employee wearing a suit walked around from behind the group of special forces soldiers.

He said with a serious face: "This is a joint operation between the Duma and the Ministry of Internal Affairs! You... come here and open the door. No one else is allowed to move. If there is any abnormal movement, they will be killed on the spot!"

Except for Ruan Dayong and the other preparatory students who did not understand these words, everyone else heard them clearly.

But even if Ruan Dayong and the others didn't understand, just looking at the situation, they stood there obediently, not daring to move.

The person pointed at by the man in the suit was the security guard.

The security guard raised his hands, walked to the iron fence, and opened the door.

The group of special forces rushed in immediately and skillfully controlled the situation on the field. One special force had already pushed the security guard with a gun to the ground, took out the handcuffs around his waist and handcuffed him.

Of course, none of Ruan Dayong and the seniors could run away. They were all ordered to hold their heads in their hands and squat down facing the wall.

Oh, fortunately, the senior's Russian is good, otherwise they would not be able to understand these commands, and they would be in big trouble...

This kind of situation does not only happen in this place.

On the same day and at the same time, there were five similar bank branches in Moscow, all of which were "swept out" by the Duma and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Somewhat coincidentally, these bank branches all belong to MDM Bank.

That's Menichenko's bank...