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3:28 p.m. ET, February 22, 2024
US Department of Justice announces sweeping criminal and civil actions against sanctioned Russian oligarchs
The US Justice Department on Thursday announced a sweeping set of criminal and civil enforcement actions targeting sanctioned Russian oligarchs and others accused of working to support the Kremlin and its military.
The announcement, made by the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, comes days before the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The task force — made up of federal prosecutors, investigators, and analysts — has targeted the web of wealth surrounding Russian oligarchs and Kremlin insiders. In the two years since Russia’s invasion, the task force has brought about 70 criminal cases against individuals and five criminal cases against corporate entities. More than a dozen of those charged have been arrested worldwide, department officials said.
The task force has also moved to seize about $700 million worth of assets, which Justice Department officials said they hope to ultimately transfer to Ukraine or use in aid. While the bulk of that money is still in the process of being forfeited, department officials said, about $6 million has been transferred to Ukraine thus far.
As the Justice Department works to enforce existing sanctions, the White House is also set to announce a new sanctions package against Russia on Friday, CNN has reported. The sanctions are aimed to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for Russia’s war in Ukraine — which hits the 2-year mark on Saturday — and for the death of opposition figure Alexey Navalny, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday.
Keep reading about the DOJ’s actions.