US sues Swiss-Russian dual citizen
The 51-year-old dual citizen is on the run, while the other accused, a 52-year-old Briton, has been arrested in Spain, the US Department of Justice said.
The US has accused the Swiss-Russian dual citizen and Britain. They are said to have helped ensure that a Russian oligarch’s yacht hit by US sanctions was not seized.
Both men are accused of helping Viktor Vekselberg, a close ally of Putin, to conceal his ownership of the Tango yacht. The yacht is valued at $90 million. As head of Moscow-based conglomerate Renova Group, Vekselberg was placed on the US sanctions list in 2018 following the Russian invasion of Crimea.
US sanctions were avoided with the name change
The US Department of Justice alleges that the 52-year-old Briton, who runs a shipping company in Palma de Mallorca, renamed the vessel “Fanda” to continue working with US suppliers despite the sanctions.
The two men reportedly led the boat’s employees to continue doing business with American companies. They allegedly used middlemen to make payments in currencies other than dollars.
The 78-meter vessel was finally seized by Spain in April at the request of the United States. In March, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the United States announced the creation of a special unit to pursue “corrupt Russian oligarchs” and anyone who violates Washington’s sanctions against Moscow.
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