Britain has successfully confiscated the assets of a Russian oligarch for the first time. Law enforcement officers have confiscated more than 750 thousand pounds (963,260 US dollars) from Russian oligarch Pyotr Aven.
This is reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to Bloomberg.
The property manager of Russian businessman Pyotr Aven has agreed to the confiscation of almost $1 million to complete a nearly two-year investigation by the British police into sanctions evasion.
Annabel Darlow, a spokeswoman for the National Crime Agency (NCA), said that thousands of pounds in cash found in Aven's mansion outside London were confiscated under the proceeds of crime legislation.
“The NCA's first successful confiscation of funds in an investigation into possible sanctions evasion is an important milestone that should encourage further sanctions enforcement actions,” said James Bolton-Jones, Senior Advocacy Counsel at Spotlight on Corruption.
The NCA accused Aven of being a “pro-Kremlin oligarch” who acquired his wealth in the last days of the Soviet regime, but his lawyers have denied the charge.
According to the court's decision, the money kept in bank accounts at HSBC Holdings Plc and Monzo Bank Ltd. was confiscated after Aven's wife and his estate manager recognized that the funds “were either property subject to confiscation or were intended for use in illegal activities.”
Author - Dmitriy Levchenko, 30/07/2024