Two charged with evading US sanctions to help Russian oligarch protect $90 million yacht

Two businessmen have been charged with orchestrating a cash laundering scheme to protect Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, who has shut ties to President Vladimir Putin, from having his $90 million yacht seized. 

Vladislav Osipov, 51, a twin Russian and Swiss citizen, and British citizen Richard Masters, 52, are charged with sanctions evasion and cash laundering associated to their operation of the 255-foot luxurious yacht “Tango” after Vekselberg was hit with sanctions.

Masters was arrested in Spain on Friday on the request of the Justice Department. Osipov stays at massive.

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Russian businessman Viktor Vekselberg attends a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia September 5, 2019. Two businessmen have been charged with evading U.S. sanctions in an effort to stop his Yacht, “Tango,” from bei (Reuters / Reuters Photos)

“Facilitators of sanctions evasion allow the oligarchs supporting Vladimir Putin’s regime to flout U.S. legislation,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves stated. 

Both males allegedly used shell firms to permit Vekselberg’s possession of the yacht. He was sanctioned in April 2018. U.S. sanctions forbid American firms similar to banks from conducting enterprise with these sanctioned entities. 

Masters ran a yacht administration firm in Palma de Mallorca, Spain and allegedly took over the administration of Tango, the Justice Department stated. He allegedly modified the yacht’s identify to “the Fanta” to help keep away from sanctions restrictions from banks. 

As a outcome, U.S. monetary establishments processed a whole lot of 1000’s of {dollars} of transactions for Tango that in any other case would not have been permitted if Vekselberg’s involvement was made identified. 

In addition, Osipov and Masters had yacht workers proceed to do enterprise with U.S. firms and used a collection of workarounds to keep away from detection, similar to payments in other currencies and thru thirds events, federal prosecutors stated. 

The yacht known as “Tango” owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, is seen at Palma de Mallorca Yacht Club within the Spanish island of Mallorca, Spain. (Reuters / Reuters Photos)

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“As a results of these schemes, the working mechanisms of Tango, to embody its web, expertise, climate forecasting, and computing methods, in addition to the trimmings of Tango, together with its satellite tv for pc tv, luxurious items, and teleconferencing software program, had been all U.S.-origin services provided by U.S. firms, for the good thing about Vekselberg,” the Justice Department stated. 

The yacht was seized in April by Spanish authorities on the request of the Justice Department. Several luxurious yachts owned by Russian oligarchs have been the topic of U.S. sanctions following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine practically a 12 months in the past.