US Treasury goes after Russia troll farm founder's planes and yachts
The US Treasury is taking a fresh approach to sanctions against a key actor in Russia's ongoing information warfare campaign against the United States. According to an announcement out on Monday, they are going after the planes and yacht of Russia's troll farm founder.
Here's an exhaustive list of the individuals and entities targeted.
The US Treasury sanctioned the Internet Research Agency (IRA, aka 'troll farm') in March and December of last year, 2018, and this time officials trying something new.
In addition to new sanctions imposed on IRA and private property of six IRA employees, Treasury today also went after the private possessions of Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the IRA's founder and primary financier.
St Vitamin: Prigozhin's Yacht
Reporting by Catalin Cimpanu, ZDNet:
The first is Beratex Group Limited, a company registered in the Seychelles, which the Russian oligarch uses to manage a private jet with the tail number of M-VITO, and a private yacht under the name of St. Vitamin.
"Beratex originally purchased M-VITO in 2012, and since then, photographs on social media accounts have shown that Prigozhin's family have used the plane," Treasury officials said. "Between 2017 and 2018, M-VITO conducted numerous flights throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Europe to include Sudan, the Central African Republic, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Armenia, Germany, Spain, and Russia."
"In addition to M-VITO, Beratex is also the registered owner of St. Vitamin, a yacht the company acquired in 2014," officials added. "Prigozhin's family has vacationed on St. Vitamin, as evidenced by photographs posted on social media accounts."
Second, Treasury officials also imposed sanctions on Linburg Industries LTD, another Seychelles incorporated company, which Prigozhin used to manage and operate VP-CSP, a private jet registered in the Cayman Islands.
The third company is Autolex Transport Ltd. Also incorporated in the Seychelles, US officials said Prigozhin's employees used this company to arrange for the purchase of M-SAAN, a private jet registered in the Isle of Man.
As a result of today's sanctions, US entities are prohibited in engaging in transactions with these companies. In addition, if these properties enter US jurisdiction, they are also to be seized.
US Treasury goes after the planes and yacht of Russia's troll farm founder [zdnet.com]
And here's more from the Treasury announcement:
The Internet Research Agency was previously designated pursuant to E.O. 13694, as amended, on March 15, 2018.
The Treasury Department is also imposing sanctions on six members of the Internet Research Agency for their efforts in furthering the objectives of the organization. As of 2018, Dzheykhun Nasimi Ogly Aslanov (Aslanov), Mikhail Leonidovich Burchik (Burchik), Vadim Vladimirovich Podkopaev (Podkopaev), Vladimir Dmitriyevich Venkov (Venkov), Igor Vladimirovich Nesterov (Nesterov), and Denis Igorevich Kuzmin (Kuzmin) were all members of the Internet Research Agency involved in attempting to interfere in U.S. elections. As a result, Aslanov, Burchik, Podkopaev, Venkov, Nesterov, and Kuzmin are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13848 for acting for or on behalf of and materially assisting the Internet Research Agency in connection with the 2018 U.S. midterm elections.
Aslanov, Burchik, Podkopaev, and Venkov were previously designated pursuant to E.O. 13694, as amended, on March 15, 2018.
In renewed action, the Treasury Department is increasing its pressure against Yevgeniy Prigozhin (Prigozhin) by not only calling out his support for the Internet Research Agency in connection with its efforts to interfere in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, but also identifying his personal property, including several private jets and a yacht. Prigozhin has spent significant funds to further the Internet Research Agency's attempted influence operations in connection with the 2018 U.S. midterm elections. As a result, Prigozhin is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13848 for materially assisting and providing financial support to the Internet Research Agency in connection with the 2018 U.S. midterm elections.
Prigozhin was previously designated pursuant to E.O. 13694, as amended, on March 15, 2018. Prigozhin was also designated pursuant to E.O. 13661 on December 20, 2016 for materially assisting senior officials of the Russian Federation.
Prigozhin utilizes a series of front companies to manage his luxury personal property to include three private jets and a yacht. Beratex Group Limited (Beratex), an entity registered in the Seychelles, owns and operates a private jet that until just recently flew under the tail number M-VITO. Beratex originally purchased M-VITO in 2012, and since then, photographs on social media accounts have shown that Prigozhin's family have used the plane. Between 2017 and 2018, M-VITO conducted numerous flights throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Europe to include Sudan, the Central African Republic, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Armenia, Germany, Spain, and Russia. In addition to M-VITO, Beratex is also the registered owner of St. Vitamin, a yacht the company acquired in 2014. Prigozhin's family has vacationed on St. Vitamin, as evidenced by photographs posted on social media accounts. Beratex is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13661, E.O. 13694, as amended, and E.O. 13848 for materially assisting Prigozhin. M-VITO and St. Vitamin are being identified as property in which Beratex has an interest.
Prigozhin also owns and uses VP-CSP, a private jet registered in the Cayman Islands. Since 2017, Linburg Industries LTD. (Linburg), a company incorporated in the Seychelles, has been the registered owner and operator of VP-CSP. Between 2017 and 2018, VP-CSP conducted flights throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Europe to include Sudan, the Central African Republic, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Germany, Spain, Greece, Finland, Estonia, and Russia. Linburg is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13661, E.O. 13694, as amended, and E.O. 13848 for materially assisting Prigozhin. VP-CSP is being identified as property in which Linburg has an interest.
Finally, by October 2018, Prigozhin's employees arranged for the purchase of M-SAAN, a private jet registered in the Isle of Man. M-SAAN's registered owner and operator is Autolex Transport Ltd. (Autolex), a company incorporated in the Seychelles. Autolex is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13661, E.O. 13694, as amended, and E.O. 13848 for materially assisting Prigozhin. M-SAAN is being identified as property in which Autolex has an interest.
As a result of today's designations, all property and interests in property of these persons, including the identified aircraft and vessel, that are or come within the possession of U.S. persons are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Additionally, any entities 50 percent or more owned by one or more of these designated persons are also blocked. Due to the designation of some of these persons under E.O. 13694, as amended, and E.O. 13661, foreign persons may be subject to secondary sanctions for knowingly facilitating a significant transaction or transactions with those designated persons.
The identification of these aircraft and vessel serves as a warning to those who continue to provide M-VITO, St. Vitamin, VP-CSP, and M-SAAN landing rights or other general services. By continuing to service these aircraft and the vessel, providers of such services run the risk of facilitating or supporting Prigozhin's nefarious activities and may also be subject to future sanctions.
PHOTO, TOP - M-VITO: One of Prigozhin's private jets. Between 2017 and 2018, M-VITO conducted numerous flights throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Anna Zvereva/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
PHOTO, BELOW - St Vitamin: Prigozhin's Yacht