In the Balearic Islands, the luxury yacht of a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin and subject to US sanctions was searched and seized at Washington’s request on Monday. That has been announced by the Guardia Civil.
Read everything about the war in Ukraine in this file.
The operation in Palma de Mallorca was the work of the paramilitary Guardia Civil, as well as agents of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under a US letter rogatory. A Spanish judge gave permission.
It concerned the Tango, a 73-meter long ship, the value of which would be more than ninety million euros. “It is owned by the Russian multimillionaire Viktor Vekselberg,” said the Guardia Civil. The yacht flies the flag of the Cook Islands and is registered in the name of a British Virgin Islands company that is itself controlled by companies in Panama.
“Vekselberg is very close to Vladimir Putin, but is not targeted by European sanctions, but by the US Treasury Department. An investigation has been opened against him (the oligarch, ed.) in the US for tax fraud, money laundering and forgery in writing, precisely in connection with concealing the real owner of this yacht to avoid sanctions.”
“Attacks on Western Democracies”
Viktor Vekselberg has been on a US list of seven Russian oligarchs close to President Putin since April 2018. Washington accuses them of participating in “attacks” by Moscow “on the Western democracies”.
As a result of those sanctions, the oligarch, domiciled in Zug, Switzerland, has reduced his participation in several Swiss industrial companies so that they can escape the penalty. With a net worth of billions, the 64-year-old is one of the richest people in Russia.
Documents and a computer were seized during the search of the ship.
It is the fourth seizure of a yacht in Spain since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24. The three others are considered the property of an oligarch who is subject to European sanctions.
Also read: After testimonies about rapes, executions and looting in Ukraine: “Time for an arrest warrant for Putin”(+)
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