The US Department of Justice wants to confiscate 6 properties of oligarch Viktor Vekselberg

The US Department of Justice said on Friday it had filed civil action in federal court for the Southern District of New York for the forfeiture of 6 properties in the states of New York and Florida, worth approximately $75 million, held through nominees, by the Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. The US Department of Justice believes the property was purchased and serviced with sanction-violating proceeds related to money laundering operations.
Speaking about the case, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, said the lawsuit, filed on the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, ” sends a strong signal to those who violate sanctions and engage in money laundering that the United States will use all available tools to confiscate the proceeds of crime and will use the money to assist our allies in Ukraine under the newly enacted law.
The case for the confiscation of Vekselberg’s real estate was brought after the indictment of Vekselberg figurehead Vladimir Voronchenko, a Russian citizen with permanent residence in the United States. He fled from US authorities as soon as he received the summons.
According to court documents, on April 6, 2018, the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions against Vekselberg, and on March 11, 2022, Vekselberg was subject to additional sanctions.
Prior to OFAC listing, between 2008 and 2017. Vekselberg, through a series of shell companies, acquired six properties in the United States:
mansion in Southampton, New York (19 Duck Pond Lane, Southampton, New York 11968)
two apartments in New York (515 Park Avenue, Units 21 and 2I, New York, New York 10022)
two apartments in Fisher Island, Miami, on the Florida coast (7183 Fisher Island Drive, Units 7182 and 7183, Miami Beach, Florida 33109)
Penthouse at Fisher Island (7002 Fisher Island Drive, Unit 7002 PH2, Miami Beach, FL 33109)
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
On Feb. 7, the New York Southern District Attorney’s Office announced criminal charges against 70-year-old Russian citizen Vladimir Voronchenko, who helped hide and maintain oligarch Viktor Vekselberg’s elite real estate in the UNITED STATES.
Voronchenko is charged with criminal conspiracy to violate and evade U.S. sanctions, violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), conspiracy to commit international money laundering and laundering silver. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The charging documents state that Voronchenko “established himself as a successful businessman, collector and art dealer, as well as a close friend and business partner of Viktor Vekselberg”, and that he had a license to permanent residence in the United States and lived several times. in New York, York, Southampton (New York) and Fisher Island (Florida).
To formalize Vekselberg’s real estate transactions, Voronchenko hired a lawyer in the United States, and also took care of all financial matters related to the apartments and houses of the oligarch. Voronchenko is accused of receiving more than $4 million from Vekselberg to service four properties.
Voronchenko was also put on the wanted list for contempt of court, in connection with his flight from the United States. He fled after receiving a subpoena served on him by federal agents on May 13, 2022. The subpoena required him to appear in person to testify before a grand jury on Fisher Island, Florida. However, 9 days later, on May 22, Voronchenko flew from Miami to Dubai, and from there to Moscow. He never returned to the United States and did not testify.
According to Forbes magazine, in 2023, Vekselberg’s assets are worth around $5.4 billion.