(DailyVantage.com) – Oleg Deripaska is a Russian oligarch with ties to the country’s leader, President Vladimir Putin. In 2018, the US sanctioned him for suspected illegal activities, including alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. While he hasn’t entered the country in years, recent actions show troubles for the billionaire aren’t over just yet.
On October 19, the FBI raided two homes tied to the oligarch, one in an upscale Washington, DC, neighborhood and another in New York City. While Deripaska doesn’t own the properties — a contingency of the sanctions against him — they are purportedly owned by his relatives.
The Deripaska activity is connected to a federal investigation out of New York, FBI told @ShimonPro but could not provide any more info. A source familiar w/the matter said the investigation has been "ongoing" but also provided no further details. https://t.co/rIl1GcFvEc https://t.co/HCX85MeRsJ
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) October 19, 2021
According to an unnamed spokesperson for Deripaska, the raids resulted from two court orders related to US sanctions. Journalists reported seeing authorities at both properties were removing boxes as well as rolls of bubble wrap. They also towed a vehicle from and hung crime scene tape around the perimeter of the DC property.
US authorities have long-suspected Deripaska of a string of criminal activity, according to the US Treasury Department. These include money laundering as well as “threatening the lives of business rivals, illegally wiretapping a government official, and taking part in extortion and racketeering.”
While the FBI confirmed an ongoing investigation, Neither they nor the DC police shared additional information. Deripaska’s lawyer has yet to comment on the matter.
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