Lev Leviev: the Jewish Indiana Jones

We profile Israel's richest man, who owns everything from housing projects in the former Soviet Union to 7-Elevens - but will always be remembered for single-handedly smashing the De Beers diamond cartel.

When Lev Leviev's first son, Shalom, was born in 1978, Leviev circumcised the baby himself. He was 22, and had never studied the art of circumcision, let alone performed one. His father told him to practice on a chicken leg, but Lev felt no need. "I was a diamond cutter after all. It's not that different."

Thirty years on, says The New York Times, he has carried out more than a thousand circumcisions many on the sons of his employees. Now Israel's richest man, he owns everything from housing projects in the former Soviet Union to a string of 7-Elevens in Texas. But he will always be remembered as the man who single-handledly smashed the De Beers diamond cartel.

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