Hostile takeovers have an entirely unique character in Russia. Hostile bidders, or raiders, make offers to enterprises, which they reject at their peril. If they do, it is common for a hostile attack to begin. The bidder attempts to wrest control of the enterprise using counterfeit documents of title. Courts are paid off and share registers are falsified. The tax authorities are bribed to assess irregularities within the enterprise. Some raiders will even resort to physical violence and blackmail. In particularly bad cases, an assault team is dispatched to capture the sought-after enterprise. In 2007 alone, Russian raiders snatched enterprises with a net worth of some 2 billion euros. Who are these raiders? Their membership spans a wide spectrum of Russian society - from petty criminals to upper-level civil servants. Author: deutschewelleenglish Keywords: Deutsche Welle DW-TV Made in Germany Added: April 9, 2008