[2][better source needed] Born to a photographer father and academic mother, Tarasov received several degrees as an engineer, a computer scientist, and an economic planner.

Tarasov was the co-founder of Kommersant daily newspaper, the first independent airline, Transaero, and was elected to the Russian parliament.

After a conflict with Soviet officials in 1990, he left the USSR and settled in London.

In 1996, he decided to run for Presidency as an independent pro-business candidate, but his application was rejected by the Central Election Commission.

[citation needed] In 2005, his book, Millionaire, detailing the rise of post-Soviet oligarchs, was published.