In one of the more peculiar stories to appear recently, a middle-aged American who makes what appears to be a pretty decent living "mentoring" Ukrainians-for $3000 a pop - in how to become millionaires was arrested at the Russian border. Apparently Robert Fletcher, who runs the become-a-millionaire seminars through his company Global Systems Training -was trying to cross into Russia using a false Ukrainian passport on the Kyiv-Moscow train.

The incident throws light into one of the murkier corners of ex-pat culture here in Eastern Europe - the small group foreigners who come to the former Soviet UNI0N to take advantage of what remains of this region's 'Wild East' spirit and profit from whatever prestige their Western 'credentials' give them among naive natives. Fletcher seems to be an industrious fellow, in his own way: the Global Systems Training website indicates that he's involved with a disorienting array of projects here in Ukraine, from the 'Azov Sea Sport and Wildlife Resort' to the Premiere Limousine company that promises to "provide you with a limo at discount prices", and from a Crimean cruise outfit to something called 'Pizza Maximus'. There's also the Premiere' Business Club in Sevastopol, described as one "of the projects of honorary professor, doctor, academic, Millionaire-Mentor Robert Fletcher." Fletcher himself is a chubby chap with double chins, perpetual five o' clock shadow and long, greased-back blond locks that flow off a mostly balding head. His shiny clothes don't fit quite right and he doesn't look like someone who can teach you how to make millions. His website biography describes Fletcher as an Alaska native who grew up working in fisheries and at McDonalds before making a not-fully-explained bundle himself. "Robert reached the millionaire level himself with the help of millionaire mentors and his formula Time, Money, Contacts, Skills/Abilities, Credibility and now teaches others the secrets of millionaires. And he really has lots of experience and knowledge to share. He has 25-years experience in sales and marketing, 20 years in advertising, investing in stocks, business, real estate, during 10 years he was a National Sales Director of the USA, along with this he has been a consultant and adviser for a number of big American companies and made more than 2000 seminars and training." What a 'National Sales Director of the USA' exactly is, the site doesn't explain. Nor does it mention what 'big American companies' Fletcher consulted and advised for. And how, by the way, did Fletcher end up in Ukraine? To find a wife, of course. Subsequently, "He was thinking about retiring to live a quiet family life, but after he communicated with some Ukrainians, they did their best to convince him to become their mentor." There's no word yet on why Fletcher was using a false passport to enter Russia, nor on whether he'll be running his seminars in Kyiv anytime soon - assuming, that is, he remains a free man. The website seems to indicate that the seminars are being held so far in Sumy and Cherkassy, which will presumably soon see a spike in millionaire activity. Meanwhile, local media is reporting that Fletcher's business might have been a pyramid scheme, and that he's been accused in the US of swindling.