Bolshoi Ballet dancer daughter of one of Putin’s closest cronies ‘earned £20million a year

The ballet dancer daughter of one of Vladimir Putin’s closest cronies has earned almost £20million a year from a mysterious second money source.   

Maria Shuvalova, 22, a dancer at the world famous Bolshoi Ballet, is raking in £75,000 a day for her other role in ‘capital asset management’.

This is more than the bosses of Russian giants like energy behemoth Gazprom and largest financial institution Sberbank, news outlet BAZA reported in their investigation into her earnings. 

It is also nine times her annual salary at the world famous theatre, alleges the media investigation which claimed to obtain her leaked tax records covering 2018.

‘Maria may well claim to be the richest ballerina in Russia,’ BAZA reported.  

Maria is the daughter of Igor Shuvalov, 54, the boss of Russia’s powerful state development corporation VEB.RF. 

Maria Shuvalova, 22, a dancer at the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet and daughter of one of Putin’s closest allies, earned £22million in the year 2018. The earnings came from ‘capital asset management’ 

Maria's father Igor is a close Putin ally and worked as Russia's deputy prime minister in 2018

Maria’s father Igor is a close Putin ally and worked as Russia’s deputy prime minister in 2018 

Maria performs for Bolshoi

Maria Shuvalova

As a dancer for Bolshoi, Maria has travelled across the world in the past two years. Performances featuring the 22-year-old have been held in Cyprus, Portugal, Amsterdam, among other locations

Earlier in 2018 – he was Putin’s deputy prime minister, and remains close to the Kremlin leader. 

As a dancer at the world-famous Bolshoi, she’s danced across the world over the past two years, including in Cyprus, Portugal, Amsterdam, Italy, Bali and Tenerife.  

This month, she’s been sunning herself at her family’s luxury village in Dubai.   

‘Maria is obviously doing well with time management – she manages to rehearse even with her busy travel schedule,’ said Russian Tatler.

‘Data on her income for this period was provided to us by a source with access to the databases of the Federal Tax Service,’ explained BAZA.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is pictured with then Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, Maria's father

Russian President Vladimir Putin is pictured with then Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, Maria’s father 

Maria is pictured with father Igor Shuvalov.

Maria is pictured with father Igor Shuvalov. 

‘There is no doubt about the reliability of the information…. The most interesting thing is where Maria Shuvalova got her cosmic salary.’

The report came as the 22-year-old danced as Little Red Riding Hood in The Sleeping Beauty at the NOVAT opera house in Novosibirsk, a city in Siberia. 

The media investigation – the latest tax leak concerning elite Russians in Putin’s circle – said the payment was made by KSP Capital Asset Management, a company linked to Sergei Kotlyarenko, previously believed to be her father’s lawyer.

The company manages the assets of more than 600 individuals and 19 legal entities, say reports, but Maria is not listed as an employee.

Her father’s current employer VEB.RF – Russian’s state development corporation – insisted he has always strictly complied with rules for government servants, and referred BAZA’s queries to the KSP.

The Russian 'capital asset management' firm Maria has been receiving the sum from does not have her listed as an employee

The Russian ‘capital asset management’ firm Maria has been receiving the sum from does not have her listed as an employee

Maria's father was seen as one of the wealthiest members of Putin's cabinet when he served as deputy prime minister in 2018

Maria’s father was seen as one of the wealthiest members of Putin’s cabinet when he served as deputy prime minister in 2018 

The company denied KSP was a nominal owner of its wealthy clients’ property, and that Maria held no position with the outfit.

‘It is difficult to imagine what competencies the woman should have in order for her to receive an income of two billion roubles,’ said Ilya Shumanov, deputy general director of Transparency International Russia.

‘And considering that the relationship between Kotlyarenko and Shuvalov has long been reported, it all looks like withdrawal of money from the company.’

As a minister, Shuvalov was long seen as the wealthiest member of Putin’s government.

Reports in the past said he owns property in central London overlooking the Thames.

The BAZA report speculated on whether Shuvalov might face questions under Britain’s unexplained wealth laws.

‘Whether the British authorities checked him is unknown,’ said the report.

The dancer has not spoken on her alleged wealth, but changed her social media settings to bar comments.

In abpost she said earlier: ‘I truly am very tired of justifying myself, of trying to fit in and of being shy…..

‘I had been trying to run at all my might, not having time to think what I need [or] if people who belittle me are right.’

The report follows claims from jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny that Putin owns a £1 billion Black Sea palace, which the Kremlin denies.