Help return to life

Hello, My name is Roman. I have lost everything in life.

I was asked by my friends to write this story on GoFundMe a year ago, but I thought I’ll handle it all on my own. A year has passed, and I understand, that my life is fading away. I am desperate and can’t really do anything on my own anymore.

My story: I am from Russia. I have lost my father when I was 16, my mother, when I was 22. That didn’t hold me back from creating a successful career and found 2 companies in Russia. I was an entrepreneur for the last 14 years.

In April of 2014, together with my wife and son, we left for Sri-Lanka to open our own business. Already, in August 1st, we opened our own hotel in Unawatuna. I was incredibly happy. Business was booming, couple months later I opened a restaurant. My child went to a British college. Everything was running smoothly and I transferred all remaining funds from my Russian accounts and invested it into the hotel. The hotel was constantly booked out, up to 350 customers from all over the world.



In spring of 2016, my wife decided to go to a vacation to Moscow, to visit relatives as well as to check up on our business in Russia. I was left alone in Sri-Lanka. As time went on, the wife got more involved in the Russian business, while I was running the hotel alone. 4 months later, she decided, that she doesn’t want to live in Asia, while I don’t want to return to Russia. We decided to file a divorce. We didn’t split our belongings, but I left her the Russian business. By that point I already was a Sri-Lankan resident. I kept living and working, housing people and providing them with happy vacation time on the ocean side.

Early November, 2017 I had to go extend my residential visa. As usual I went to the emigration office, gave them the documents, but the inspector said: “You must leave the country!” I was shocked and confused. They said they’re not obliged to explain. All of my documents were fine, but still, they said the same. After a bit of arguing, they attempted to arrest me. I managed to leave the office, then immediately called the Russian Consulate. As I explained the situation, I was told to leave the country ASAP, anywhere, while they figure the situation out.

I came back to the hotel, took my most important belongings and called a friend in Malaysia, told him I’d come for a visit. There, I immediately called and wrote to all the officials, both from Russia and Sri-Lanka, but to no avail.

November 23rd 2017, the hotel got taken over. The sign got removed and all the locks got changed. Tourists got locked in the hotel. The whole month was quite nightmarish, full of insomnia, constant calls and visits from the police. On December 10th my Malaysian visa ended and I left for Vietnam. As I intended to return to Sri-Lanka, I didn’t take too much with me. Friends helped me with funds along the way. Everything I owned was left in the hotel.



After 2 months, I realized that if I keep fighting for the hotel, I will either die from a heart attack or hunger. I was received in Vietnam quite warmly, but there’s no space here for any more beggars. I spent 3 months in Nha Trang looking for work, to no result, then moved to a friend in Bao Loc. Then I decided to go to Ho Chi Minh City.

Now I live in a hostel, thinking everyday only how to earn a living, with no time for any future planning. I went from being a millionaire to a beggar in a day. In conclusion, I don’t have the Russian business or the hotel anymore, no belongings, no transport. I have nothing to give to my children. The hotel got taken over by corrupt means. Sri-Lanka doesn’t recognize international law, hence, I can’t sign any documents from abroad. I don’t want to keep living as a burden on society, I want to return to a normal life, where I can share happiness and my life experience with people. I am 36 years old, and hopefully, I can achieve many great things in the future.

Please, help me. I would like to open a small hotel or hostel. I have lost $370,000 worth of property in Sri-Lanka. Anyone, who would be so kind as to help me, would be able to stay in the place they helped invest in. I will always be glad to host you. Thank you for reading this to the end.