U.S. agents search New York properties linked to sanctioned Russian oligarch -NBC

NEW YORK, Sept 1 (Reuters) – U.S. legislation enforcement agents on Thursday searched New York properties linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a sanctioned billionaire Russian oligarch, NBC New York reported, as Washington seeks to use sanctions and property seizures to strain Moscow to cease its invasion of Ukraine.

A Reuters witness noticed FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents haul packing containers and safes out of an residence constructing at 515 Park Avenue in Manhattan, the place NBC mentioned a property linked to Vekselberg was situated.

Agents additionally searched a Vekselberg-linked property in Southampton, New York, NBC mentioned.

Vekselberg couldn’t be reached for remark. An FBI spokeswoman confirmed that agents have been current on the Manhattan and Southampton addresses, however declined to remark additional. An HSI spokeswoman declined to remark.

It was not instantly clear what the agents have been investigating. Vekselberg has not been criminally charged within the United States.

Washington imposed sanctions on Vekselberg in 2018 over alleged Russian interference within the 2016 U.S. election, and in 2022 over his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin denies interfering within the election and calls its actions in Ukraine a “special military operation.”

Vekselberg owns the Renova group of firms, which function in Russia’s power sector, in accordance to the Treasury Department, which enforces sanctions.

Russian prosecutors arrested two Vekselberg associates in 2016 for bribing officers related to an influence technology undertaking, the division mentioned.

In April, Spanish police impounded Vekselberg’s superyacht Tango on the behest of U.S. prosecutors, who had obtained a warrant to seize the vessel.

They accused Vekselberg of obfuscating his possession of Tango, and tricking U.S. banks into processing transactions for it. learn extra

The yacht has since been moored off Palma on the Spanish island of Mallorca, in accordance to Refinitiv Eikon vessel monitoring knowledge.

Reporting by Andrew Hofstetter and Luc Cohen in New York, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien

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