High-Stakes Real Estate Conflict Between Tycoons
When Israeli magnate and investor Lev Leviev was involved in a $1.5 billion dispute with David Nassi, a wealthy Israeli businessman, over a large Moscow real estate development spanning 130 dunams, specialized dispute resolution intelligence was needed to get the case thrown out of court.
Background on the Dispute
The case attracted a great deal of interest, since Leviev, a self-made billionaire originally hailing from Russia, is a well-known entrepreneur and investor, whose business interests included founding international venture capital firm LVL1 Group, co-founding the social network VK.com, Btc.com, Africa Israel investments, and more.
Origins of the Legal Battle
The roots of the dispute go back to 2013, when Leviev announced his withdrawal from the project. Nassi claimed he fell victim to false representations and Leviev essentially dispossessed him of the project. Lacking evidence, Nassi signed a settlement agreement in 2014.
Turning Point: The 2018 Reopening
Fast forward to 2018, when Nassi claimed he had obtained “decisive and clear evidence that Leviev’s declarations about withdrawing from the project were false.” At this point, Dionaea, a boutique intelligence firm, was called in to provide dispute resolution intelligence. Hailing from elite intelligent units with years of experience in legal intelligence solutions, Dionaea’s team investigated, obtaining critical evidence regarding the mishandling of sensitive information and alleged improper payments to Russian authorities.
Dionaea’s Role and Methodology
Through carefully planned operations, Dionaea’s agents documented conversations with Nassi that revealed how police records had been accessed and obtained evidence. Leveraging experience gained in elite intelligence units, their methodology included in-person witness meetings, professional documentation of all interactions (including video and audio recordings) and careful preservation of evidence chains. The firm maintained a clear documentation trail that allowed the evidence to be used effectively by legal teams in the subsequent proceedings.
The Outcome: Court Ruling and Impact
This evidence proved instrumental in the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) proceedings — which led to an award of 8 million shekels against Nassi. The high-profile case Victory for Leviev in Passionate proclaiming: ” Calcalist was covered in local media, with the Real Estate Project Dispute in Moscow.”
Legal Validation of Intelligence Gathering
A separate suit filed in Israel by Nassi which questioned Dionaea’s intelligence gathering techniques was dismissed by the judge following the LCIA ruling — confirming that Dionaea had operated legally and professionally. This case validates Dionaea’s HUMINT tools and techniques for gathering sensitive information while maintaining strict legal compliance and demonstrates how professional intelligence gathering can influence major legal disputes.
A Win Through Strategic Intelligence
While maintaining legal and ethical standards, the company’s specialized HUMINT services and methodical approach to collecting and documenting evidence resulted in a successful resolution of a high-stakes dispute with one of Israel’s leading businessmen spanning several years.