Roman Abramovich

SPHERE OF INFLUENCE: Although he speaks surprisingly little English, for years this oligarch has been investing and spending on a czar-like scale in his home away from home of London. Abramovich, 41, was thought to be the mystery buyer who paid $33.6 million for Lucian Freud’s Benefits Supervisor Sleeping (a record for a living artist at auction) as well as $86.3 million for Francis Bacon’s Triptych, 1976 (a record for contemporary art at auction) in May. He’s also joining two existing town houses to build a $300 million home in Knightsbridge.

LITTLE BUDDY: Pop train wreck Amy Winehouse, whom Abramovich paid a reported $2 million to sing at the opening gala of his girlfriend’s art gallery, in Moscow, this summer.

WINGS: A Boeing 767 with anti-missile system.

WHEELS: A Ferrari FXX, one of only 30 made.

EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLY CONTRADICTORY BEHAVIOR: Just weeks after stepping down as governor of Chukotka, in Russia, in July, Abramovich decided he was into politics after all. He will run for speaker in the Duma of the remote arctic region in October’s election.

THORN IN HIS SIDE: A multi-billion-dollar lawsuit in London’s High Court alleging that he colluded with cool friend Vladimir Putin to force a rival Russian billionaire to sell a Moscow TV station, an aluminum producer, and an oil-and-gas company at prices far below market value. Abramovich disputes the claim.