The USA accuses Russian billionaire Oleg Derypaska of violating sanctions

On September 29, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Russian billionaire Oleg Derypaska with evading sanctions imposed after Russiaʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Reuters writes about it.

The accusations relate to Oleg Deripaska himself and three women related to him — Kateryna Voronina, Natalia Bardakova and Olga Shriki. The U.S. Department of Justice claims that the oligarch hired one of the women to buy a California music studio on his behalf. He tried to send another woman to the United States so that she would give birth to his children.

According to the investigation, in 2019, Shriki arranged for Derypaska to sell a music studio in Burbank, California, for $3.1 million. And in 2020, Shriki together with Bardakova organized Voroninaʼs trip to the United States for the birth of Derypaskaʼs child.

Derypaska, Shriki and Bardakova were accused of violating sanctions. Shriki was also accused of destroying evidence, and Bardakov and Voronin were accused of giving false testimony to American investigators.

"In light of Russiaʼs unjust and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, I promised the American people that the Department of Justice would work to bring to justice those who violate our laws and threaten our national security. Todayʼs charges demonstrate that we are keeping that promise," the U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland noted.

• Oleg Derypaska was on the list of Russians against whom the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions in April 2018. Businessmenʼs controlled companies also came under their influence, in particular Rusal, the only producer of primary aluminum in the Russian Federation. Sanctions include the freezing of assets in the United States, as well as a ban on American citizens from entering into agreements with these companies.
• In October, the U.S. authorities froze Derypaskaʼs assets. It was about estates in Washington and New York.
• In December 2018, the U.S. Treasury Department announced to Congress that it had decided to lift sanctions on Derypaskaʼs companies En+, UC Rusal and EuroSibEnergo OJSC.
• After that, a criminal case was opened against Derypaska in the USA for money laundering and "threats on the lives of competitors".