The Gontmakher Mansion is a multimillion-dollar, 13,610-square-foot (1,264 m2) brick mansion in the Bridle Trails neighborhood of Bellevue, Washington.[1][2] As of late 2005, it had been under construction for five years and was still unoccupied.[3] Its brick construction and the tall brick wall completely surrounding the property give it a fortresslike appearance (brick is a material not frequently used in the Pacific Northwest).

Gontmakher Mansion under construction in December, 2005

The City of Bellevue has been in litigation with the owners over unlawful clearcutting of trees and issuance of a short plat for the property the mansion lies on. A ruling in the court case held that the City of Bellevue is a juristic person with respect to the state anti-SLAPP law.[4]

The owner was a "crab mogul" from Ukraine who became a United States citizen and owned in Bellevue what was in the 2000s decade the largest United States importer of Russian crab and other seafood.[5][6]

References edit

  1. ^ Hal Bernton, "Russians arrest crab mogul: Bellevue businessman Arkadi Gontmakher's seafood business allows him a posh lifestyle. It has also caught the eye of Russian authorities, who accuse him of poaching.", The Seattle Times, archived from the original on 2014-10-06
  2. ^ King County Assessor tax record
  3. ^ "Bridle Trails mansion still embroiled in controversy", King County Journal, 2004-02-05, archived from the original on June 7, 2005
  4. ^ Court case, Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington, archived from the original on 2005-02-16, retrieved 2005-12-29
  5. ^ Maxim Tkachenko (December 31, 2010), U.S. crab tycoon faces new criminal charges in Russia, CNN
  6. ^ Will Englund (February 13, 2011), "Acquitted American crabber in Russia still caught up in criminal justice system", The Washington Post

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