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The United States was authorized to seize an Airbus A319-100 (the Airbus) owned and controlled by sanctioned Russian oligarch Andrei Skoch, pursuant to a seizure order from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which found that the aircraft was subject to seizure and forfeiture. based on probable cause for a violation of the federal anti-money laundering laws.

According to the seizure warrant and affidavit sworn today:

According to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the National Emergency Act (NEA), and Executive Orders Issued by the President of the United States, the Office of Foreign Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (OFAC) designated Andrei Skoch as a Specially Designated National (SDN) on or about April 6, 2018 “by reason of being an official of the Government of the Russian Federation”, “deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation” , and for his “longstanding ties to Russian organized crime.” groups, including time spent leading such an enterprise.” After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, OFAC issued additional sanctions against Skoch and his assets. On or about March 24, 2022, OFAC designated Skoch and other members of the Duma for ” supporting the Kremlin’s efforts to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” On or about June 2, 2022, OFAC identified the Airbus as blocked property in which Skoch had an interest.

Skoch is the beneficial owner of the Airbus through a series of shell companies and trusts linked to his romantic partner. After OFAC appointed Skoch in or about April 2018 and continued through in or about 2021, US dollar transactions were made to pay for the registration of the Airbus in Aruba and for aviation insurance premiums for the Airbus, each of which was a necessary expense to maintain and operate the Airbus.

The Airbus (pictured below), bearing tail number P4-MGU and serial number 5445, is believed to be worth more than $90 million.

US Attorney Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI and US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security. The National Security Division of the Department of Justice and Office of International Affairs and the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Treasury provided valuable assistance in this investigation.

Assistant US Attorneys Joshua A. Naftalis and Nicholas S. Bradley for the Southern District of New York are in charge of the investigation.

The investigation was coordinated by the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the wide-ranging sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to the Russian. unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2 and created by the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to use all of the Department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to circumvent or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression

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