MediaBistro's Fishbowl blog weighs in on the NY Times coverage of Chabad billionaire Lev Leviev:
In this week's glowing Times Magazine profile of diamond/real estate mogul and Chabad Lubavitch benefactor Lev Leviev, there pretty much weren't any negative words to be seen. But it's turning out that there is plenty missing.
Like Leviev's failed partnership with Hasidic real estate developer Shaya Boymelgreen, LevievBoymelgreen. Leviev is currently suing Boymelgreen for more than $100 million. Meanwhile, Boymelgreen (a prolific contributor to local politicians) is under fire for constructing uninhabitable apartments and has attracted more than his share of controversy. Strangely, none of this was mentioned in the Times piece.
Then there's the fact that, as WWD notes, Leviev had an investment in Vivid Collection, a diamond brand that's been accused of giving bribes to diamond graders.
Lastly, the article does not note that Leviev's involvement with Chabad Lubavitch in Russia (where he assisted the sect in gaining official, Valdimir Putin-approved control of the mainly secular Russian Jewish community) is largely due to Russian oligarch/Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's drafting him in a grudge match with Putin against Russian media baron Vladimir Gusinsky.
Pretty much what I said, except Fishbowl says it better.
[Thanks to the team at Fishbowl for linking to us.]