Oligarch Alisher Usmanov network sanctioned

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration imposed fresh sanctions on Wednesday aimed toward the financial network linked to Russian billionaire and business tycoon Alisher Usmanov, as part of a bigger effort to crack down on sanctions evasion.

Usmanov, one in all Russia’s wealthiest billionaires with direct links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was designated in March 2022 within the weeks after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“Because the Kremlin seeks ways across the expansive multilateral sanctions and export controls imposed on Russia for its war against Ukraine, the USA and our allies and partners will proceed to disrupt evasion schemes that support Putin on the battlefield,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.

“Today’s motion underscores our dedication to implementing the G7 commitment to impose severe costs on third-country actors who support Russia’s war,” he added.

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced it’ll sanction 25 individuals and 29 entities across 20 jurisdictions for working with Usmanov. In a joint effort, the State Department also sanctioned several entities for supporting the Ukraine invasion, including two which can be liable for militarizing and indoctrinating Russian schoolchildren.

“The US will proceed to take motion against Russia and people supporting its war in Ukraine, including further implementing the G7’s commitment to impose severe consequences on third country actors who support Russia’s war in Ukraine,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

The sanctions correspond with the addition of 28 entities to an inventory of threats to U.S. national security maintained by the Commerce Department. The entities, positioned in Armenia, China, Malta, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, supported Russia’s defense system, coordinated the transfer of products from Iran to Russia and procured items for Russian entities, in accordance with an announcement.

“The US is acting with speed and coordination in response to Putin’s egregious violation of international law,” Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said in an announcement. “The Biden-Harris Administration, together with our partners and allies, will proceed to degrade Russia’s military and defense industrial base through using export controls.” 

Entities sanctioned include:

• Cyprus national Demetrios Serghides, an advisor to Usmanov, and the “Sister Trust”
• Usmanov’s network in Cyprus
• Executives linked to Usmanov
• Members of the billionaire Skoch family
• Usmanov’s stepson Natan Adadievich Viner
• Sequoia Treuhand Trust, a Russian-linked trust services company
• Several suppliers aiding in sanctions evasion and procurement of products for Russia
• A Hungary-based, Russian-controlled financial institution called International Investment Bank

Last 12 months, German authorities seized the world’s largest superyacht following official confirmation that the vessel had links to Usmanov.

The yacht, named Dilbar after Usmanov’s mother, extends over 500 feet and is supplied with two helipads and the most important indoor swimming pool ever installed on a personal vessel. The Treasury Department estimates that the present value of Usmanov’s yacht is roughly $735 million.

Read more: World’s largest yacht, linked to Russian billionaire Usmanov, is seized by Germany

Usmanov and his superyacht entered the crosshairs of the U.S. and its allies following coordinated global sanctions on Russian elites with Kremlin ties.

A $90 million mega-yacht owned by billionaire Viktor Vekselberg was seized in Spain last April with help from U.S. authorities. Vekselberg was born in Ukraine, but founded the huge Russia-based conglomerate Renova Group.

Last March, French authorities seized a large yacht they are saying is linked to Igor Sechin, a Russian billionaire who’s CEO of state oil company Rosneft. He previously served as Russia’s deputy prime minister inside President Vladimir Putin’s government.

The Lady M, known to be the property of Russian billionaire Alexei Mordashov, was previously seized in Italy.