Yevgeny Prigozhin has risen to become a key figure in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leading a private army of mercenaries in crucial areas of the conflict. But his murky past and association with criminal activity have left many wondering how he achieved such influence and reputation for brutality.

Prigozhin’s criminal record dates back to 1979 when he received his first conviction for theft at the age of 18. He later served a nine-year sentence for robbery and theft. Upon release, he started a successful hot dog stall chain in St. Petersburg, eventually expanding into high-end restaurants frequented by the city’s elite.

It was in one of his restaurants, New Island, that he met Vladimir Putin, who would later become the President of Russia. Prigozhin’s catering company Concord went on to supply food to the Kremlin, earning him the nickname “Putin’s chef.”

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014, Prigozhin’s association with shadowy private military company Wagner began to surface. Wagner, said to be linked to Prigozhin, fought Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region and gained a fearsome reputation for brutality. Wagner was also active across Africa, performing tasks that furthered the Kremlin’s agenda, from propping up Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria to combating French influence in Mali.

Wagner members have been accused of numerous atrocities, including torturing a Syrian captive with a sledgehammer, beheading him, and setting his body on fire in 2017.