US cracks down on sanctioned Russian oligarchs
A number of sanctioned Russian oligarchs and their associates in the United States were arrested or indicted on Feb. 22, the U.S. Justice Department announced.
The enforcement actions coincide with the U.S. announcing new sanctions against Russia on the eve of the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"The Justice Department is more committed than ever to cutting off the flow of illegal funds that are fueling (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's war and to holding accountable those who continue to enable it," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
In the Southern District of New York, the Justice Department unsealed charges against sanctioned Russian oligarch Andrey Kostin and two of his U.S.-based facilitators, Vadim Belyaev and Gannon Bond. Belyaev and Bond were arrested on Feb. 22.
A grand jury in Florida charged sanctioned pro-Russian Ukrainian businessman Serhii Kurchenko in a sanctions-evasion scheme involving approximately $330 million. Also in Florida, the U.S. filed a civil forfeiture complaint against luxury properties, worth $2.5 million, owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Perevalov.
In a case in Atlanta, U.S.-based dual national Feliks Medvedev pleaded guilty to laundering over $150 million for Russian clients.
In Washington, D.C., Russian businessman Vladislav Osipov was charged with bank fraud.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said that since February 2022, the Justice Department had won judgments to forfeit nearly $700 million in Russian assets.
"The charges we announce today against oligarchs, facilitators, and money launderers are the next chapter: so long as Russia's aggression continues, so too will our resolve to hold its enablers accountable," Monaco said.
Martin Fornusek
