U.S. Attorney Damian Williams | U.S. Department of Justice
A Russian national, Alexey Komov, has been indicted for his involvement in a scheme to assist sanctioned oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev. The charges include conspiracy and violations of U.S. sanctions. The indictment was unsealed in Washington, revealing Komov's role in helping Malofeyev recruit Jack Hanick, an American citizen, to launch and operate a television network in Russia.
Komov is accused of collaborating with Malofeyev to transfer a $10 million investment from a U.S. bank to a business associate in Greece, contravening sanctions that blocked Malofeyev's assets. Co-Director Menno Goedman of Task Force KleptoCapture stated, "The indictment alleges Alexey Komov played an essential role in a multi-faceted scheme to violate and evade U.S. sanctions imposed on a significant financier of Russian aggression in Ukraine."
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York commented on the case: "As alleged, Alexey Komov facilitated the efforts of Konstantin Malofeyev — an oligarch closely tied to Russian aggression in Ukraine who has been determined by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to have been one of the main sources of financing for the promotion of Russia-aligned separatist groups operating in the sovereign nation of Ukraine — to flout U.S. sanctions."
The situation traces back to 2014 when Executive Order 13660 was issued by the president, declaring a national emergency concerning Ukraine's situation. This order blocked property and interests within the United States belonging to individuals involved in actions threatening Ukraine's peace and stability.
Malofeyev was designated as a Specially Designated National (SDN) by OFAC under this executive order due to his financial support for separatism in Crimea and other activities supporting separatist organizations like the Donetsk People’s Republic.
The indictment details how Komov helped recruit Hanick from 2012 onwards for Malofeyev's new Russian cable television news network project. This recruitment included meetings between Komov and Hanick in Manhattan before introducing him to Malofeyev in Russia.
Despite being designated as an SDN by OFAC, Malofeyev continued employing Hanick with Komov’s assistance after December 2014, violating Ukraine-Related Sanctions Regulations.
Further allegations involve transferring ownership of a shell company used for investments into Greek hands with fraudulent documentation claiming it occurred before sanctions were applied.
Approximately $5.4 million traceable back to these activities was seized by U.S authorities from accounts related directly or indirectly through transactions involving Texas-based banks where funds had been converted into cash holdings since 2016; these funds were later allocated towards supporting Ukrainian veterans per authorization granted last February 2023.
Currently believed still residing within Russia itself alongside co-defendant Konstantin Malofeyeva who remains at large pending further legal proceedings against them both stateside under charges carrying potential maximum penalties up-to twenty years imprisonment each if convicted upon trial conclusion subject judicial discretion based applicable guidelines statutes therein prescribed sentencing framework considerations thereof entailed accordingly so forthwith henceforth duly noted hereinafter forthwith hereby affirmed acknowledged thus stipulated thereby declared concluded finalized closed ended resolved settled terminated finished completed done dealt disposed handled managed processed executed accomplished achieved fulfilled attained reached satisfied met realized brought about effected produced yielded delivered generated created fashioned made constructed built developed established instituted founded set up started initiated commenced begun launched introduced presented 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