Larisa Dolina

Ugggghhhhhhh! We immediately need to apologize for unleashing that photo on you. That is Russian pop singer Larisa Dolina... G-d only knows how many dozens of surgeries that face had went through. The poor woman just turned 70, give her a break.

Well, we will not give her a break, for Dolina has become a namesake of a prominent real estate scam. It's called the "Dolina Effect" or the "Dolina Scheme". (Let's get the verdict out of the way now — she is Jewish, her father's name was Kudelman. Ugh indeed.)

Anyway, a few years back, Dolina sold her apartment. She then went to court and claimed that she was coerced into the sale by scammers. (Oh, poor unfortunate old women, so often victims of evil phishing fraudsters!) The Russian court decided in her favor, giving her the apartment back. As for the money? Well, she kept the money too. The buyer was told to get it from the supposed scammers. The Russian court system, ladies and gentlemen!

Now, real Russian scammers have caught wind and unleashed the Dolina Scheme on the country's real estate (as well as automobiles). As for Dolina? Despite politicians trying to rehabilitate her, she is pretty much canceled.

Even Russians got tired of looking at that face...