How an ordinary Soviet official married a billionaire: a love story that shocked the whole world

In 1978, unexpectedly for everyone, the "wedding of the century" of a simple Soviet citizen Sergei Kauzov and the daughter of multi-billionaire Aristotle Onassis Kristina took place. The reasons for the entry of Kauzov into the family of one of the most influential people in the world are still reliably unknown. Some are sure that it was a "love match", others do not exclude the possibility of KGB intervention.

Read more about the development of the novel by Kristina and Sergey below.

Christina Onassis

Christina Onassis is the only daughter of Greek billionaire Aristotle Onassis and Athena Livanos. After her father's death, the girl inherited his entire fortune, including a huge monetary capital, controlling stakes in large companies and the largest private fleet in the world.

Along with this, Kristina's popularity among the opposite sex has grown incredibly. By the age of 25, the girl managed to be disappointed in love and leave behind two unsuccessful marriages.

Christina Onassis

In 1976, Kristina Onassis, being the owner of her father's empire, flew to Moscow to extend the contract of Olympic Maritime (Onassis shipping company) with the Soviet Ministry of the Navy. During business negotiations, the girl saw him: well-read, conservative, multi-lingual, charismatic Sergey Kauzov.

Kristina Onassis and Sergey Kauzov

Among other things, Kauzov hooked her with cultural conversations about the work of Salvador Dali. Leaving, the millionaire gave him a Volga and her photo, on which she left a sentimental signature:

Kristina and Sergey

After some time, Sergey Kauzov was appointed head of the department of the Sovfraht in Paris. It was clear to everyone that it was not without the intervention of Christina. The girl said that she would hold any negotiations only in the presence of Sergei and it was useless to argue with her.

Christina Onassis

The novel of Sergei and Christina was developing rapidly. The couple increasingly began to appear together in public and travel the world. The KGB was aware of what Sergei was doing, and even allocated money to him for fashionable clothes.

Passions around the lovers began to heat up, journalists literally roamed on their heels. Everyone was afraid of Sergei 's marriage and Kristina, after all, if Onassis had given Kauzov the reins of the family empire, the consequences for the world economy would have been unpredictable. The world elite became worried that a Soviet citizen, who was repeatedly linked to the KGB, could undermine NATO's plans for the strategic use of the Onassis flotilla. The girl's family was also against this marriage, but Christina herself craved it…

The wedding ceremony of Kristina Onassis and Sergey Kauzov

The girl dreamed of getting married on the island of Scorpios, belonging to her family. However, her plans were destroyed by the Soviet government: an impressive dossier was collected on her lover in the case of his machinations in Paris and threatened to send him to prison. Only Kristina could save Sergei by agreeing to marriage and further residence in Moscow, and the girl did it.

In August 1978, the couple signed. The wedding ceremony took place at the Griboyedov Registry Office in Moscow. More than 300 journalists from all over the world gathered near the building, but none of them were allowed inside.

Kristina and Sergey put their signatures in the civil registration book

The newlyweds moved to live in a two-room apartment of Sergei's mother, located on Mosfilmovskaya Street. The girl who "wanted to live a simple life" immediately felt all her shortcomings. Later, Kristina admitted that she was very cramped in this apartment, besides, she was annoyed that in the morning "you have to wait for your turn to the toilet."

Already on the third day of married life, Kristina began to insist on moving to a new apartment, and the KGB allocated the newlyweds two apartments in Godless Lane at once.

Kristina and Sergey

Family affairs obliged the girl to travel abroad regularly, Sergei stayed in Moscow for this period, which eventually ceased to suit Onassis. Kristina threatened to break all contracts if her husband was not released outside of it. The government met her halfway, but in "gratitude" the girl had to allocate 500 thousand dollars for the development of the Soviet Peace Fund and the same amount for the Greek Communist Party.

Connection with the KGB

Kristina and Sergey in the Caribbean

Why did many people think that the KGB had a hand in the marriage of Kristina and Sergei? This was later told by Major General Oleg Kalugin, who now lives in America. According to the man, Sergey Kauzov's trip to France almost caused an international scandal. Kristina immediately made it clear what Sergei needed to do if he wanted to get her to sign a contract extending the partnership between the Soviet Ministry of the Navy and Olympic Maritime.

After a while, photos of a Soviet official and a Greek billionaire vacationing in the Caribbean appeared in the press. Then Kauzov and his family were ordered to immediately return to Moscow, where his future fate was being decided.

The man was called to the Lubyanka, where they began to discuss what to do: divorce Natalia or terminate the relationship with Kristina.

Obviously, the KGB overestimated Kristina's love for Sergei and her tolerance for new living conditions.

After 17 months of marriage, Kristina and Sergey divorced. The official reasons for the divorce were not spread in the press, but it was rumored that the Soviet husband simply bored the Greek billionaire.

As compensation, the girl gave him several tankers and real estate in England. It was there that he later moved to live, got a new wife and built a successful business. Christina soon married again - to the French businessman Thierry Roussel.

The couple had a daughter, who was named Athena. After the death of her mother as a result of an overdose of pills, it was Athena who began to dispose of the entire inheritance of Aristotle Onassis.