In 2001, Vladimir Putin, still in the nascency of his ascension to omnipotence, needed to choose the new head of Russia's Federal Tax Police. The agency was established a decade prior with the goal of stopping rampant tax evasion, so prevalent in the country after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Putin's choice was Mikhail Fradkov, a rather anonymous bureaucrat. We're profiling him here because he is half Jewish, on his father's side.

So how did Fradkov do? Did he work tirelessly to punish tax evaders? Did establish law and order among Russia's elite? Did he succeed?

After two years of Fradkov in charge, Putin abolished the Tax Police, with no reason given. Soon after that, Fradkov was promoted to prime minister.

So, yeah, he succeeded.