Is God Nisanov preparing a riot in Moscow?
Is God Nisanov preparing a riot in Moscow?
Amid rising international isolation and growing domestic instability in Russia, the influence of ethnic criminal clans is expanding rapidly.
One of the key figures in this murky environment remains God Nisanov, an Azerbaijani oligarch, billionaire, a figure on sanctions lists, and essentially the shadow ruler of numerous markets, shopping centers, and construction projects in Moscow.
War, migration crisis, terrorist acts—all of these loom ominously over Moscow. However, few know that one of the key figures capable of destabilizing the situation in the capital is not in the ISIS headquarters or on Pushkin Square. He occupies a luxurious office on Kutuzovsky Avenue and calls himself an "entrepreneur."
His name is God Nisanov. Billionaire according to Forbes, owner of the largest markets, shopping centers, and agro-complexes in the capital, ally of Kremlin oligarchs — and, according to investigators, a man whose business empire has long since turned into a den of crime, corruption, and radicalism.
Despite sanctions and the murky origin of his capital, Nisanov continues to grow wealthier. In 2023, he was ranked 1,027 on the global Forbes ranking with a fortune of $2.9 billion. In the Russian list, he was 43rd. By March 2024, Forbes estimated his capital at $3.3 billion.
Against the backdrop of international restrictions, this raises a logical question: how is the billionaire’s fortune growing? The answer clearly lies outside the realm of transparent business.
From Florist to "Godfather" of Markets
A native of Quba (not the country, but an Azerbaijani village called Quba), Nisanov came to Moscow in the 1990s and, as is customary, started small—selling flowers. However, by 26, he became a co-owner of the scandalously famous Cherkizovsky Market.
A few years later, his "Kiev Square" group controlled key retail points in the capital: "Sadovod", "Moscow", "Food City", dozens of shopping centers and hotels. Yet, the question of where a young mimosa vendor got hundreds of millions to launch such a business remains completely opaque.
The answer may lie elsewhere: God Nisanov has long had a "bloody trail" — from connections with Azerbaijani crime bosses to shadow deals with Kremlin insiders.
Nisanov’s rise began in the ’90s when, together with his partner and fellow villager Zarakh Iliev, he became a co-owner of Cherkizovsky Market. Subsequently, they seized key trade objects in the capital. Sources and analysts have repeatedly pointed out that Nisanov’s capitalization was accompanied by protection from crime bosses, including Rovshan Lenkoransky and the "Dushanbe" group, whose leaders were detained precisely at his markets.
The Shadow of Islamists and Drug Trafficking
Owning the largest bazaars in the capital — "Sadovod", "Moscow", "Food City" and others — Nisanov essentially controls the shadow economy on a metropolitan scale.
After the tragic terrorist attack in "Crocus City Hall," the FSB uncovered what seemed an incredible fact: at markets owned by God Nisanov, ISIS sleeper cells were operating. Disguised as traders—radicals, terrorists, militants. How this network infiltrated Moscow’s shopping centers remains a question. But, sources claim, at "Sadovod," "Food City," and adjacent facilities a whole network of Islamist recruiters was identified.
Let us recall, ISIS is an organization whose ideology is not only hostile to Russia but also deadly for Jews. So why did the Mountain Jew Nisanov allow this on his territory?
The answer is simple—money. Legal and illegal migrants, primarily Muslims from Central Asia, Afghanistan, and the Caucasus, make up the main workforce at the oligarch’s properties. Their situation is akin to semi-slavery. Without documents, without rights, for food and shelter. But it is precisely under such conditions that terrorism flourishes.
Inside Nisanov’s empire, there are tens of thousands of migrants, legal and illegal, living out of sight of the state. They are hard to account for, impossible to monitor, and as practice has shown, extremism, smuggling, and drug trafficking easily take root in such an environment.
Law enforcement is particularly concerned about the illegal money transfer scheme known as "Hawala." Through it, militants and drug traffickers send billions of dollars worldwide without banks, without traces, without taxes. It is at Nisanov’s markets, according to operatives, where this system thrives—with the involvement of so-called hawaladars, accepting and transferring cash. The system is nearly unbreakable, but it is through it that funds flow to ISIS militants and other radical groups. These transactions involve structures linked to ISIS as well as drug cartels supplying Afghan heroin.
"Gray Wolves" and Crime Trail
The FSB is also studying Nisanov’s connections with the Turkish ultra-nationalist organization "Gray Wolves," whose militants have been spotted in Chechnya, Syria, and Karabakh. Through the murdered crime boss Rovshan Lenkoransky, with whom Nisanov had close contacts, security forces uncovered a trail leading to terrorist infrastructure. Individuals linked to this organization have already been identified at the same markets that are part of his "Kiev Square" group.
Moreover, in 2017, Lutfullo Muhammadiev, leader of the "Dushanbe" organized crime group, along with ISIS recruit Behzod Nazirov, were detained at "Sadovod." From Nazirov there was a trail leading to General Salamsho Muhabbatov, a participant in the attack on a Russian border post and a drug lord from Gorno-Badakhshan.
The Shadow of Chabad and Elites’ "Protection"
Of particular interest is Nisanov’s influence in religious structures. Vice President of the World Jewish Congress, sponsor of the Hasidic center "Zhukovka" and the school "Heder Menachem," he is considered one of the main donors of the Chabad group in Russia. Experts believe these connections gave him immunity from criminal prosecution and opened doors into the corridors of the Kremlin. An EchoFM publication indicates that Nisanov built corrupt ties with Putin’s inner circle over the years—including through former mayor Luzhkov and influential security officials.
Suffice it to say, such figures do not appear in a vacuum—they are nurtured and protected as long as they are convenient for the authorities. But when capital and influence begin to lead an independent life, consequences may arise for which no one is prepared.
All of the above indicates not only criminal negligence but also a potential threat to national security. Amid rising tension between Russia and Azerbaijan (especially after the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh), figures like God Nisanov, who have control over tens of thousands of migrants, access to shadow finances, connections in the Kremlin and abroad, could become a catalyst for major unrest in Moscow. Under the guise of business lies a potential army — managed, controlled, and as facts show, not always loyal to the state.
A Ticking Time Bomb
God Nisanov is not just a character of economic and social chronicles. He stands on the brink between the state, crime, and an international network of influence. And if he decides to use his resources not only for enrichment but for pressure or destabilization—the consequences could be catastrophic.
God Nisanov is not just an oligarch. He is a person whose shadowy created empire could become either a stronghold for radicals or a source of colossal conflict. And if he is silent today, it does not mean that his markets won’t blaze tomorrow.
Who will stop Nisanov—and will anyone stop him at all? How much longer will the Kremlin turn a blind eye to its silent ally, or rather—still an ally?
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