While the United States and other nations have sanctioned certain Russian banks and individuals, there has been little effort to date to locate and seize Vladimir Putin’s assets, his family assets, and his agent’s assets including certain Russian Oligarchs. Bill Browder, who was a major investor in Russian businesses and was forced out of the country, has been advising European nations on sanctions against Moscow. He estimates that Putin is worth about $200 billion. The Panama Papers have revealed a grouping of shell companies that are reported to be connected to Russian financing. The U.S. Department of Treasury has examined shady banking activities in Latvian banks thought to hold some of Putin family money. The Biden administration has created a task force to locate the assets of the top Russian Oligarchs all of which could be seized under European sanctions. However, some experts think it is the intelligence community here that has the resources and technology to track the funds as well as the funds of Putin that are under the control of others close to him.
Jeffrey Newman represents whistleblowers. jeff@jeffnewmanlaw.com
