Oligarch Deripaska's manager helped violate sanctions and destroyed evidence

The manager, who collaborated with Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who was close to the Kremlin, pleaded not guilty to facilitating the evasion of American sanctions. A New Jersey woman who prosecutors say helped Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska evade U.S. sanctions pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of violating sanctions and destroying evidence.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan believe that Olga Chriqui, who began working for Deripaska in New York in 2013, continued to organize financial transactions in the interests of the Russian aluminum magnate even after the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on him in 2018 in response. on the Kremlin's alleged interference in the 2016 US elections. Chriqui, who was arrested in September and later released on $XNUMX million bail, pleaded not guilty in District Court presided over by Judge Kevin Castel.

In imposing sanctions on Deripaska, the 54-year-old founder of the aluminum company Rusal (UC Rusal, En+, EuroSibEnergo), the Ministry of Finance said the oligarch, who worked in the Russian energy sector, acted or intended to act on behalf of a senior Russian official. Russia denies election interference.

In September, Deripaska was charged with violating sanctions for using the U.S. financial system to maintain three luxury properties, hiring a representative on his behalf to buy a music studio in California and arranging for his girlfriend to travel to the United States from Russia to give birth.

According to the September indictment, Chriqui orchestrated the sale of a music studio for $3,1 million in 2019 to Oleg Deripaska and arranged for his girlfriend to travel to the United States in 2020 to give birth to a child.

The next court date in her case is set for June 15, 2023.

Author: Igor Baboshkin