Business Dispute Reveals $45,000 Monthly Rent Paid by Russian Oligarch’s Son for Herzliya Villa

A rare legal dispute between Alexander Kogan, a famous Russian singer and son of oligarch Valery Kogan, and French-Jewish businessman Richard Twill has exposed extraordinarily high rental fees for a villa in Herzliya, Israel. Twill filed a lawsuit demanding approximately 950,000 shekels (about $270,000) in unpaid rent, damages, and interest. The rental agreement, signed in April 2026, stipulated monthly rent of $45,000 (around 139,000 shekels), with a prepayment of $270,000 for six months, which Kogan allegedly failed to pay.

Twill, who owns the villa through his company T.I.A.R.I, claims he was lenient with Kogan due to his relationship with Valery Kogan and his high social standing. Despite repeated warnings, Kogan did not fulfill his payment obligations. Kogan’s lawyer responded that Alexander intended to move in with his family in May and had even arranged for household staff, but the villa was not ready for occupancy, and Kogan never lived there. The lawyer also noted an ongoing dispute between Twill and Valery Kogan over a separate real estate transaction, with allegations that Twill did not fully pay for a property he purchased from the Kogan family.

Richard Twill is a controversial figure, wanted in France for large-scale financial crimes and sentenced in absentia to seven years in prison in 2019. He has never been extradited to France. While in Israel, Twill’s home was attacked with a grenade and his family’s vehicles were set on fire, allegedly linked to demands from the crime organization of Assi Abutbul. Twill and his brother later testified in a trial against Abutbul.

The Herzliya villa at Ḥavatzelet HaSharon Street was bought by Twill from Arkady Gaydamak in March 2020 for 13.8 million shekels. This property has also been embroiled in legal troubles, with Gaydamak claiming Twill did not pay the full amount and seeking to evict him. The real estate broker involved also claims unpaid commission from Gaydamak.

Alexander Kogan is known in Israel primarily for his extensive real estate activities in Caesarea, where he has purchased, demolished, and rebuilt luxury mansions, attempting to sell a massive estate for hundreds of millions of euros. His father, Valery Kogan, owns an international airport in Russia.