As "Marker" has found out, a worker of the aircraft plant "Sokol" Vladimir Skoch, who is about to turn nineties, owns not only 30% stake in Metalloinvest, one of Russia's largest metallurgical holdings - but also a flat in a prestigious area (Presnensky district) in Moscow and the allotment in the suburb of Krasnogorsk. Andrey Skoch, the son of pensioner, is a long-standing partner of Alisher Usmanov in the steel business – he has been a State Duma deputy for 10 years, officially he owns a living area (65.3 square meters) in the Belgorod region, and exists on a parliamentary salary.

The fact that Skoch Sr. owned an apartment in Moscow and a large land plot became known out of two lawsuits filed in the Presnensky district court of the capital. In the first one the tax inspectorate of Krasnogorsk required (the case was closed on September 13; the court rejected the claim of tax authorities) Vladimir Skoch to repay the land tax. As for the second one, its consideration essentially began just over a week ago; the pensioner himself became a plaintiff. He requires the tenants on the floor above (the apartment over Skoch’s housing is owned by Fiore Ltd) to fix problems with ventilation, resulting from the alterations of the apartment.

Vladimir Skoch was born in 1933 in a village family. After finishing high school he finished the railway school, worked as assistant engineer on a freight train. After serving active duty in late 1950, he entered the Moscow Aviation Plant "Salyut" as a polisher. In this venture Vladimir Skoch worked for almost half a century, after his retirement he became a carpenter. He is awarded the Order of the October Revolution, Red Banner of Labor, Badge of Honor, as well as numerous medals.

According to Ferrobank’s information (Bank is controlled by shareholders of Metalloinvest; information was published in the body of "List of persons having significant influence on the decisions taken by management of the Bank" of the official site of Ferrobank), Vladimir Skoch now lives in the neighborhood (village Rusavkino-Popovschino) of the city of Zheleznodorozhnyj in the Moscow area. Seven years ago, in the material of “Oskolskie Novosti” (Published on October 31, 2003; the material was paid by the election fund of Andrey Skoch), the house of the pensioner was described as more than modest:"There is a small garden, well-groomed garden in front of the house of the elderly couple. Vladimir Nikitich and Maria Ivanovna have always been having it. Hereditary peasants, they hoped that if any change in the power then the piece of land uncovered with asphalt will give them the comfort and nourish."

The correspondent of "Marker" personally visited the village Rusavkino-Popovschino, where Vladimir Skoch is registered. At first glance it looks like an ordinary depth of the country in the Moscow area: old, faded wooden houses interspersed with brand-new brick villas. There are little houses, but locals have never heard of Andrey Skoch and his father. Only postman knows the coveted address: there is a house at the very end of the village behind a high green fence, above which beautiful modern brick houses are looking out. Above the gate a surveillance camera hangs; the guard walks up and down with the radio set near it. Unfortunately, they could not interview Vladimir Skoch, as the security said that he was not there.

In early October, responding to accusations of providing false declarations (The deputy was suspected that he had deliberately not specified the shares of the holding Metalloinvest in the declaration of income and property), Andrey Skoch said (in an interview with RIA Novosti) that his father manages the Metalloinvest Company's shares. The deputy’s family accounts for 30% shake in one of the largest Russian metallurgical holding companies (50% in Metalloinvest is owned by Alisher Usmanov, a other 20% - by Vasily Anisimov). The dividends received through those shares are sent to the budget of the Fund "Pokolenie" (non-profit organization "Fund to support health, education and sports "Pokolenie" was recorded on May 16, 1997), established by Andrey Skoch.

Forbes magazine estimates the fortune of Andrey Skoch at $ 1.4 billion. Deputy heads the advisory council on metallurgy and mining industry in the State Duma. As Andrey Skoch acknowledged, he had left business more than 10 years ago by transferring everything into the hands of his father. In 1990’s, MP worked as deputy CEO of “Interfin”, created by Alisher Usmanov in order to consolidate the metallurgical assets.