Full Breakdown
Astor-Named Scam: Con Artist Bilks Mexican Billionaire of $450 Million
5/7/2026, 12:23:10 AM
Core Fraud
A May 2026 indictment accuses 63-year-old Vladimir Sklarov—also known as Gregory Mitchell and Mark Simon Bentley—of founding Astor Asset Group, a sham lender that falsely claimed affiliation with the historic New York Astor family. Sklarov persuaded Mexican conglomerate founder Ricardo Salinas Pliego to secure a promised $115 million loan with shares worth at least $450 million. He then liquidated the shares, used part of the proceeds to fund a partial loan, and kept the remainder for himself and unnamed co-conspirators, including a man using the alias Thomas Mellon.
Timeline
Salinas sought a $100 million loan in 2021 and offered his shares as collateral. By July 2021 a deal was signed; the pledged shares stayed unsold until July 2024, when Salinas discovered they had been liquidated. A false default notice followed, and the indictment was unsealed on May 6 2026, leading to Sklarov’s arrest in Chicago.
Financial Mechanics
The pledged shares were valued at a minimum of $450 million. After liquidation, Sklarov used a portion to fund a partial loan and retained the remaining hundreds of millions. Prosecutors estimate the misappropriated amount approaches $450 million, though exact figures differ across filings.
Official Statements & Responses
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton called the operation “a complete lie,” noting Sklarov used false prestige to seize “hundreds of millions of dollars in stock.” Salinas told the Wall Street Journal that he felt like an idiot for falling for the scheme.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The indictment does not name Salinas as the victim, yet English court records and Salinas’s own statements identify him. The identities and precise roles of the co-conspirators remain undisclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I feel like an absolute idiot. How could I fall for this?” — Ricardo Salinas Pliego, Mexican billionaire
- “As alleged, Vladimir Sklarov represented his company to be affiliated with, and have the financial backing of the famed New York Astor family in order to burnish his brand,” — Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York
- “That was a complete lie. Sklarov used false prestige to gain control of hundreds of millions of dollars in stock and then liquidated those shares for his own benefit.” — Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York
- “Under a deal signed around July 2021, Sklarov agreed to lend Salinas at least $115 million, claiming the money would come from the Astor family, the indictment says.” — Indictment (U.S. v. Sklarov)
What’s Next
Sklarov’s detention hearing is set for Friday in Chicago federal court, and prosecutors say further charges may follow as investigators trace the full network of participants and the disposition of the liquidated assets.
