▁submitted ▁in ▁Laz aren ko ' s ▁criminal ▁case ▁and ▁documents ▁from ▁a ▁separate ▁civil ▁law suit , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁inter views ▁with ▁law y ers ▁familiar ▁with ▁the ▁matter , ▁indicate ▁Laz aren ko ▁controls ▁a ▁sh elf ▁company ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁Che y enne ▁that ▁own s ▁an ▁estimated ▁$ 7 2   mill ion ▁in ▁real ▁estate ▁in ▁Ukraine ▁through ▁other ▁companies ". ▁That ▁sh elf ▁company , ▁a ▁special ▁type ▁of ▁shell ▁company , ▁is ▁named ▁Capital ▁In vest ments ▁Group . ▁ ▁He ▁acquired ▁majority ▁of ▁his ▁illegal ▁funds ▁through ▁his ▁activities ▁in ▁the ▁gas ▁and ▁energy ▁sector ▁of ▁Ukraine , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁Energy ▁Minister ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁reported ▁by ▁Radio ▁Free ▁Europe ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁guilty ▁of ▁money ▁ ▁la und ering ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁has ▁rout in ely ▁been ▁on ▁Trans par ency ▁International ' s ▁lists ▁of ▁most ▁cor rupt ▁officials . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Global ▁Cor ruption ▁Report , ▁Laz aren ko ▁made ▁it ▁into ▁the ▁list ▁of ▁the ▁World ' s ▁Most ▁Cor rupt ▁Le aders . ▁He ▁was ▁listed ▁e ighth ▁and ▁was ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁am ass ed ▁between ▁$ 1 1 4 ▁million ▁to ▁$ 2 0 0 ▁million . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁US ▁authorities ▁conf isc ated ▁his ▁$ 6 . 7 5 ▁million ▁California ▁m ansion ▁in ▁connection ▁with ▁his ▁money ▁la und ering