On April 18, the host of the “Contact” program on the American Russian-language television channel RTN, Alexander Grant, turned on the TV in the Moscow hotel where he found himself during a business trip - he became interested in what his Russian colleagues were talking about. Channel One aired “First Studio,” Artem Sheinin’s daily political talk show. As always, it was loud in the studio - they discussed the worsening situation around North Korea and its confrontation with the United States. A minute after the broadcast began, Grant heard a familiar voice. “I’ll tell you like a family member, don’t tell anyone. Quiet! - the guest, who was introduced as journalist Greg Weiner, captured the attention of the presenter. “A trade quarantine will be introduced against North Korea!”
Grant could do no wrong. He had known Greg Weiner for 20 years. And not only him: the “journalist” was generally well known to the New York Russian-speaking community - only under a different name. As another American TV presenter Gennady Katsov said, he knew Weiner as Grigory Vinnikov, who emigrated to the USA from the USSR back in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, Vinnikov opened a travel company in America, Eastern Tours Consolidated, which sold air tickets to and from Russia and assisted in obtaining visas. The business was going well until 2012, when Vinnikov accumulated debt for renting office space in Brooklyn and Manhattan. After this, the businessman disappeared and the offices were closed, Katsov claims.
The situation was complicated by the fact that shortly before bankruptcy, Vinnikov’s company also began providing a variety of legal services - for example, registration of Russian pensions. He took documents from some clients: for example, according to RuNYWeb, journalist Valentina Pechorina paid about $600 to renew a Russian passport, and the former owner of the New Russian Word publication Valery Weinberg paid $650 for an urgent visa to Russia.
According to Katsov, in the fall of 2012, Vinnikov called him and several other Russian journalists in New York and said that he had fled to his homeland due to financial collapse - at some point he allegedly “even wanted to throw himself from the balcony.” He promised to pay people when he received money for a penthouse put up for sale in New Jersey.
Another American journalist, Seva Kaplan, told Meduza that he was going to become the organizer of a collective civil lawsuit by victims, but when it turned out that Vinnikov was in Russia, no one went to court, because American and Russian jurisdictions “intersect very difficult.” Kaplan told Meduza that Vinnikov still owes him $10,000, which Kaplan paid the entrepreneur to arrange visas for musicians two weeks before Vinnikov disappeared.
Meduza contacted Grigory Vinnikov himself. He claims that he has returned documents to all clients, but cannot pay off his debts because a buyer for the penthouse has not yet been found. “If it ever sells, I will be happy to compensate debts to clients - if there is at least something left after paying off debts and loans,” Vinnikov said, separately stipulating that not a single lawsuit has been filed against him.
Vinnikov claims that he quit his business and left for Russia not only for financial reasons. “I was sick for two years, I came here, and here I was already diagnosed with rectal cancer,” says a former businessman who, after a course of treatment, remained to live in St. Petersburg. Vinnikov considers it normal that in television programs he is called a journalist: this was his specialty at the university, in addition, “from time to time” he appeared on radio and television.
Gennady Katsov confirms: back in the 1980s, before going into business, Vinnikov organized round tables in America at which Russian-speaking politicians and media representatives discussed current issues; sometimes he was called on air in the 2000s - including Katsov himself in his “Press Club” program, where he presented Vinnikov as a political commentator.
“He is quite articulate and sufficiently informed, in this regard I have no complaints against him,” said Katsov. - He is not a writing journalist, he has never written any articles. But his analytical apparatus is quite developed.” According to the TV presenter, it was Vinnikov who came up with the “Contact” program in 2003 and offered it to the American channel RTN - but a month later he refused to host it, unable to maintain the daily schedule. He was replaced, in particular, by the same Alexander Grant, who many years later noticed the entrepreneur on the air of Channel One.
An American political expert on a Channel One talk show turned out to be a Russian travel agent who robbed clients in New York and ran away with their money
“US journalist Greg Weiner,” who appears on political talk shows on Channel One and Channel Five, is actually businessman Grigory Vinnikov. American journalist Gennady Katsov reported this on his Facebook on April 25. Vayner-Vinnikov disappeared from New York five years ago along with the money of many clients who consider him a fraudster. Meduza tried to figure out this story.
On April 18, the host of the “Contact” program on the American Russian-language television channel RTN, Alexander Grant, turned on the TV in the Moscow hotel where he found himself during a business trip - he became interested in what his Russian colleagues were talking about. Channel One broadcast “First Studio” - a daily political talk show. As always, it was loud in the studio - they discussed the worsening situation around North Korea and its confrontation with the United States. A minute after the broadcast began, Grant heard a familiar voice. “I’ll tell you like a family member, don’t tell anyone. Quiet! - the guest, who was introduced as journalist Greg Weiner, captured the attention of the presenter. “A trade quarantine will be introduced against North Korea!”
Grant could do no wrong. He had known Greg Weiner for 20 years. And not only him: the “journalist” was generally well known to the New York Russian-speaking community - only under a different name. As another American TV presenter Gennady Katsov said, he knew Weiner as Grigory Vinnikov, who emigrated to the USA from the USSR back in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, Vinnikov opened a travel company in America, Eastern Tours Consolidated, which sold air tickets to and from Russia and assisted in obtaining visas. The business was going well until 2012, when Vinnikov accumulated debt for renting office space in Brooklyn and Manhattan. After this, the businessman disappeared and the offices were closed, Katsov claims.
Gennady Katsov
The situation was complicated by the fact that shortly before bankruptcy, Vinnikov’s company also began providing a variety of legal services - for example, registration of Russian pensions. He took documents from some clients: for example, according to RuNYWeb, journalist Valentina Pechorina paid about $600 to renew a Russian passport, and the former owner of the New Russian Word publication Valery Weinberg paid $650 for an urgent visa to Russia.
According to Katsov, in the fall of 2012, Vinnikov called him and several other Russian journalists in New York and said that he had fled to his homeland due to financial collapse - at some point he allegedly “even wanted to throw himself from the balcony.” He promised to pay people when he received money for a penthouse put up for sale in New Jersey.
Another American journalist, Seva Kaplan, told Meduza that he was going to become the organizer of a collective civil lawsuit by victims, but when it turned out that Vinnikov was in Russia, no one went to court, because American and Russian jurisdictions “intersect very difficult.” Kaplan told Meduza that Vinnikov still owes him $10,000, which Kaplan paid the entrepreneur to arrange visas for musicians two weeks before Vinnikov disappeared.
Meduza contacted Grigory Vinnikov himself. He claims that he has returned documents to all clients, but cannot pay off his debts because a buyer for the penthouse has not yet been found. “If it ever sells, I will be happy to compensate debts to clients - if there is at least something left after paying off debts and loans,” Vinnikov said, separately stipulating that not a single lawsuit has been filed against him.
Photo: Grigory Vinnikov’s personal Facebook page
Vinnikov claims that he quit his business and left for Russia not only for financial reasons. “I was sick for two years, I came here, and here I was already diagnosed with rectal cancer,” says a former businessman who, after a course of treatment, remained to live in St. Petersburg. Vinnikov considers it normal that in television programs he is called a journalist: this was his specialty at the university, in addition, “from time to time” he appeared on radio and television.
Gennady Katsov confirms: back in the 1980s, before going into business, Vinnikov organized round tables in America at which Russian-speaking politicians and media representatives discussed current issues; sometimes he was called on air in the 2000s - including Katsov himself in his “Press Club” program, where he presented Vinnikov as a political commentator.
“He is quite articulate and sufficiently informed, in this regard I have no complaints against him,” said Katsov. - He is not a writing journalist, he has never written any articles. But his analytical apparatus is quite developed.” According to the TV presenter, it was Vinnikov who came up with the “Contact” program in 2003 and offered it to the American channel RTN - but a month later he refused to host it, unable to maintain the daily schedule. He was replaced, in particular, by the same Alexander Grant, who many years later noticed the entrepreneur on the air of Channel One.
News on Channel One
“I didn’t run away or hide anywhere,” Vinnikov told Meduza. “I don’t look like an idiot who thinks that he won’t be noticed on federal channels.” Vinnikov does not tell how he got on Russian television. At the same time, according to him, one day the producers of one of the channels asked him to “Americanize” his first and last name - so he became Greg Weiner. When asked whether he makes money from his appearances on political talk shows, Vinnikov-Weiner refused to answer.
The host of the Open Studio program, Inna Karpushina, on Channel Five, where expert Greg Weiner appeared, told Meduza that she does not participate in the selection of the program’s experts, who are invited by the producers. She declined to comment further. Channel One also declined to comment.
Ilya Zhegulev
In contact with
Original material: “Meduza”
Human life is unpredictable. We never have any idea what tomorrow has in store for us. Viewers often notice characters with a complicated biography, those who are hiding behind someone else’s image. What is behind these mysterious stories? American journalist Greg Weiner has many life situations behind him. Some of them have recently become known to the public. The biography of US journalist Greg Weiner is especially relevant now.
Preface
Recently, Greg Weiner, the hero of the article, presented on television political programs as a journalist, began to appear on Russian television screens. An acquaintance of Greg's once saw a political talk show where a man was announced as an American journalist and was surprised. Some viewers recognized him as a completely different person, engaged in a different activity. It is also worth noting that Greg Weiner, a journalist, changed his first and last name, which further surprised his neighbors and acquaintances. At the moment, the biography of US journalist Greg Weiner has become interesting to many.
Who exactly is Grigory Vinnikov?
Who is Greg Weiner? Greg Weiner is a Russian businessman who used to run his own travel company in the United States of America. Real name and surname - Grigory Vinnikov. When the entrepreneur acquired many debts, he was forced to close his business and return back to Russia, his homeland. Currently lives in St. Petersburg. He also provided legal services. Many former clients of Grigory Vinnikov are unhappy that he owes them large sums of money. Greg himself replied that he would repay the debts only when he sold the property in New Jersey, but a buyer had still not been found. Now Grigory Vinnikov is known as a participant in political television programs, where he advocates liberalism.
Life in America
Life in the United States for Grigory Vinnikov was quite active. In the 90s, he opened his own travel company, selling air tickets and assisting in obtaining visas. Shortly before the company went bankrupt, Gregory opened a firm providing legal assistance, whose clients he still owes considerable amounts of money to. After failures in his career, Grigory Vinnikov was in a depressed moral state. Soon Grigory Vinnikov left New York. It was decided to return to Russia; now the businessman lives in St. Petersburg. Also at home, he learned about the disease: Gregory was diagnosed with cancer. He underwent treatment in Russia, after which he stayed here.
Gregory's occupation
The biography of US journalist Greg Weiner includes such an activity as creating and developing his own business. He was also engaged in the provision of legal services, remaining in debt to the clients of his organization, which caused a lot of indignation against him. Now he is being proclaimed a journalist, with which Grigory agrees, since he claims that he received the education necessary for this, having graduated from the faculty of journalism. Currently, Grigory visits Russian television shows as an American journalist, advocating liberalism. According to rumors, Grigory Vinnikov receives 5 thousand per broadcast. or not, we can only guess and guess. In the 2000s, a man was often invited to television broadcasts of famous TV shows, but he did not always respond positively to the offers. Grigory Vinnikov was supposed to become the host of one of the programs, but was forced to refuse, realizing that he could not withstand the busy schedule of this profession. The businessman's acquaintances claim that he is well versed in the field of journalism, and therefore has every reason to be called an American journalist.
Reason for returning home
Failures in running his own business caused many problems for Grigory Vinnikov. The businessman began to experience mental discomfort, sometimes it got to the point that the man wanted to commit suicide. Also, for several years while living in America, he suffered from cancer. Grigory Vinnikov was diagnosed later, in Russia. The man remained in St. Petersburg in order to restore his health and undergo treatment for the disease. After the problems were over, Grigory Vinnikov decided to stay in Russia, in the city of St. Petersburg. At the moment, the man still lives in his homeland, where he became known among viewers of a TV show on federal channels as Greg Weiner, an American journalist.
Drawing conclusions
The biography of US journalist Greg Weiner is rich not only in ups, but also in downs. The man received the profession of a journalist, therefore, according to him and according to his acquaintances, he has the right to be called one. In the 80s, Grigory Vinnikov changed the country in which he lived to the United States of America. He opened his own travel company, which was successful, but eventually suffered failures, which is why it had to be closed.
Attempts to create a company to provide legal assistance also ended unsuccessfully, and the owner himself remained indebted to the organization’s clients. Having returned to Russia due to health problems and poor mental state, Grigory Vinnikov decided to try himself as a journalist, since he has the necessary education for this. The man introduces himself as Greg Weiner in the American manner. He attends popular Russian television programs that are broadcast on federal channels.
A Russian talk show on Channel One features a man who is introduced as “US journalist Greg Weiner.” But he turned out to be not a journalist, but a Russian-speaking businessman whose name is Grigory Vinnikov. Moreover, a businessman with a bad reputation: he disappeared from New York 5 years ago along with the money of many clients who consider him a fraudster.
“Medusa” tried to understand this story.
On April 18, the host of the “Contact” program on the American Russian-language television channel RTN, Alexander Grant, turned on the TV in the Moscow hotel where he found himself during a business trip - he became interested in what his Russian colleagues were talking about. Channel One aired “First Studio,” Artem Sheinin’s daily political talk show. As always, it was loud in the studio - they discussed the worsening situation around North Korea and its confrontation with the United States. A minute after the broadcast began, Grant heard a familiar voice. “I’ll tell you, as if it were a family member, don’t tell anyone. Quiet! - the guest, who was introduced as journalist Greg Weiner, captured the attention of the presenter. “A trade quarantine will be introduced against North Korea!”
Grant could do no wrong. He had known Greg Weiner for 20 years. And not only him: the “journalist” was generally well known to the New York Russian-speaking community - only under a different name.
As another American TV presenter Gennady Katsov said, he knew Weiner as Grigory Vinnikov, who emigrated to the USA from the USSR back in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, Vinnikov opened a travel company in America Eastern Tours Consolidated, which was engaged in the sale of air tickets to Russia and back and assistance in obtaining visas. The business was going well until 2012, when Vinnikov accumulated debt for renting office space in Brooklyn and Manhattan. After this, the businessman disappeared and the offices were closed, Katsov claims.
The situation was complicated by the fact that shortly before bankruptcy, Vinnikov’s company also began providing a variety of legal services - for example, registration of Russian pensions. He took documents from some clients: so, according to the publication RuNYWeb, journalist Valentina Pechorina paid about $600 to renew her Russian passport, and the former owner of the publication “New Russian Word” Valery Weinberg paid $650 for an urgent visa to Russia.
According to Katsov, in the fall of 2012, Vinnikov called him and several other Russian journalists in New York and said that he had fled to his homeland due to financial collapse - at some point he allegedly “even wanted to throw himself from the balcony.” He promised to pay people when he received money for a penthouse put up for sale in New Jersey.
Another American journalist, Seva Kaplan, told Meduza that he was going to become the organizer of a collective civil lawsuit by victims, but when it turned out that Vinnikov was in Russia, no one went to court, because American and Russian jurisdictions “intersect very difficult.” Katsov told Meduza that Vinnikov still owes him $10 thousand, which Katsov paid the entrepreneur for arranging visas for musicians - 2 weeks before Vinnikov disappeared.
Meduza contacted Grigory Vinnikov himself. He claims that he has returned documents to all clients, but cannot pay off his debts because a buyer for the penthouse has not yet been found. “If it ever sells, I will be happy to compensate debts to clients - if there is at least something left after paying off debts and loans,” Vinnikov said, separately stipulating that not a single lawsuit has been filed against him.
Vinnikov claims that he quit his business and left for Russia not only for financial reasons.
“I was sick for 2 years, I came here, and here I was already diagnosed with rectal cancer,” says a former businessman who, after a course of treatment, remained to live in St. Petersburg.
Vinnikov considers it normal that in television programs he is called a journalist: this was his specialty at the university, in addition, “from time to time” he appeared on radio and television.
Gennady Katsov confirms: back in the 1980s, before going into business, Vinnikov organized round tables in America at which Russian-speaking politicians and media representatives discussed current issues; sometimes he was called on air in the 2000s - including Katsov himself in his “Press Club” program, where he presented Vinnikov as a political commentator.
“He is quite articulate and sufficiently informed, in this regard I have no complaints against him,” said Katsov. - He is not a writing journalist, he has never written any articles. But his analytical apparatus is quite developed.”
According to the TV presenter, it was Vinnikov who came up with the “Contact” program in 2003 and offered it to the American channel RTN - but a month later he refused to host it, unable to maintain the daily schedule. He was replaced, in particular, by the same Alexander Grant, who many years later noticed the entrepreneur on the air of Channel One.
“I didn’t run away or hide anywhere,” Vinnikov told Meduza. “I don’t look like an idiot who thinks that he won’t be noticed on federal channels.” Vinnikov does not tell how he got on Russian television. At the same time, according to him, one day the producers of one of the channels asked him to “Americanize” his first and last name - so he became Greg Weiner. When asked whether he makes money from his appearances on political talk shows, Vinnikov-Weiner refused to answer.
The host of the Open Studio program, Inna Karpushina, on Channel Five, where expert Greg Weiner appeared, told Meduza that she does not participate in the selection of the program’s experts, who are invited by the producers. She declined to comment further. Channel One also declined to comment.
American journalist Greg Weiner, who appears on the screens of Russian television channels, turned out to be a travel agent from Russia, Grigory Vinnikov, who is accused of fraud in the United States. About it wrote on Facebook a real American journalist Gennady Katsov, who has known Vinnikov for 20 years.
In the program “First Studio” on Channel One discussed about the political confrontation between the United States and North Korea. During the discussion, “Greg Weiner” bursts into the conversation and shouts, “Quiet! A trade quarantine will be introduced against North Korea!
Katsov said that Vinnikov immigrated to the United States in the 1980s, and in the early 1990s he opened his own travel company, Eastern Tours Consolidated. Vinnikov was mainly involved in flights to Russia - tickets and visa processing. He owed a lot of money for renting several offices, and then simply ran away from them.
Katsov writes that Vinnikov called him in 2012 and complained about how bad things were going. He had to return to Russia. Vinnikov said that due to financial difficulties, he now cannot give the money back. But if he sells the apartment in New Jersey, he will find the money to pay his clients. According to Vinnikov, he “even wanted to throw himself out of the window” because of such hopelessness.
Before closing, Eastern Tours Consolidated decided to save money and began to engage in various legal services. Some clients lost not only money but also their own documents because of this company. Journalist Valentina Pechorina paid about $600 to renew her Russian passport, and the former owner of the New Russian Word publication Valery Weinberg paid $650.
In Russia, nothing threatens a fraudster. He is not being charged because American and Russian laws “are difficult to intersect.”
Vinnikov himself assures that he gave the documents, has not sold the penthouse yet, and generally moved to Russia not because of financial fraud. He admitted that he was sick and came home for treatment: “I was sick for two years, I came here, and here I was already diagnosed with rectal cancer.” After treatment, Vinnikov remained at home.
The profession of a journalist is not made up, says Vinnikov. This is the name of his university specialty.
“I didn’t run away or hide anywhere,” Vinnikov said. “I don’t look like an idiot who thinks that he won’t be noticed on federal channels.” But the former businessman will never admit how he got on the TV show.
