Introduction
Evgeny (Gene) A. Freidman is the owner and operator of the largest taxi fleet in New York City. Gene is the sole principal of Taxi Club Management (TCM).
Early life and education
Born in the Soviet Union in 1970, Mr. Freidman emigrated from St. Petersburg to the United States as a political refugee in 1976. He attended local public schools in Queens before his admission to Bronx High School of Science, then went to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business from Skidmore College in 1992. He received his second degree from Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University in New York City and is admitted to practice Law in New York and New Jersey.
Early career
He built his father’s taxi fleet into what Freidman calls “the nation’s largest.” He began with 60 yellow cabs, and took the company from a valuation of $2.5 million in 1996 to $120 million in 2009. Today his company operates cabs in New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and New Orleans.
Political involvement
Freidman raised more than $50,000 for Mayor de Blasio’s campaign and brokered the ceasefire between City Hall and the head of the NYPD sergeants union.
Relief from Citigroup
In May, 2015 Freidman went to court, in what was called a “pre-bankruptcy maneuver” in Manhattan to ask a judge to force Citigroup to give some relief to the LLC that owns between 46 and 90 of the approximately 1,000 taxis that he owns.
Philanthropy
Freidman has supported charitable organizations including: The Israeli Defense Force, the UJA Federation of New York and Chabad.
He has created scholarship programs for Eastern European immigrants who wish to attend Skidmore College, and scholarships for immigrant children who wish to attend the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School in Manhattan.
Recognition
Freidman was listed on Crain’s NY Business list of “40 Under 40” in 2008.
Personal life
In April, 2015 Freidman’s wife, Sandra, filed for divorce on the grounds that Freidman is too old for her. There is a 20-year age difference between the couple. They were married for three years and have an “iron-clad” prenuptial agreement guaranteeing Sandra $5 million. Nevertheless, she hired one of New York’s most aggressive divorce lawyers, Jad Greifer.
The couple have a daughter, Leyla, born in December 2013, and until Freidman moved out, they shared a three-floor town house on the Upper East Side that they paid $4.8 million for.
Freidman has a son from a previous marriage, born in 2006, named Dylan.