About the Business of Victor Bout

Few months after the UN report of December 2000 was published, Victor Bout became a public figure and his business became the matter for debate by almost everyone. Prior to that day he was just a normal businessman striving for success.

The report invented the arms trafficking story, and the illusion of a massive business empire that spanned the globe. The centerpiece of that image was an aviation company by the name of Aircess, and Victor Bout was the illusive person who owned that empire. The expertise that needed to make the delusion credible was aided by inserting the name of Richard Chichakli in the report.  The manufactured picture was intriguing, mysterious, and timely, so it explained the reason behind all the misery in Africa. That was, and still is is the way most of the world picture Victor and his business. Of course, the story was further branched into politics, and developed throughout the years to fit whatever hot topics in the news.

The public heard those who knew nothing about Victor and his business making outrageous claims and raising illogical allegations, without ever questioning it. People were more interested in mysterious scandals rather than naked truth; facts and logic were not part of the story.  Peleman, the inventor of Victor Bout myth claimed that Victor purchased 60 aircraft in one year! The number is 60, as in five aircraft per month, and he stated that in public interview and reported the same in the UN report. The world wanted to believe that although it cannot be true, believable, or acceptable logically. Had anyone seen an airline buying five aircraft per month? The answer is no, never happened in the world history, but the media made it believable.

Politicians and opportunists found great material in the story to further their careers, an unrecognized UK minister of state found fame after calling Victor "the merchant of death", and a "freelance" reporter became rich and famous turned into expert after announcing that he was an expert in Victor Bout's business.  Then, and as the Internet chat rooms crowd started using the name of Victor Bout to make their WebPages visible on search engine, the story of Bout's business became an animal of its own.

In reality Victor Bout is not, and never was an arms dealer, nor had he a business empire that spanned the globe. So what was the actual business of Victor Bout, and how many aircraft did he own, who were the employees, and where did the business operate?  Here're the facts about Aircess, and the other ventures of Victor Bout.