Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday announced a new task force tasked with prosecuting the crimes of Russian oligarchs, after President Biden previewed it in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
“Tonight I tell Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders that they have swindled billions of dollars of this violent regime ‘no more,'” Biden said. He continued: “We are joining our European allies to find and grab your yachts your luxury apartments your private jets. We come for your ill-gotten gains. “
The KleptoCapture Task Force will be an inter-agency law enforcement group aimed at holding Russian sanctioned elites accountable, while Russia continues its aggressive invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions, imposed in cooperation with the Allies, are aimed at isolating Russia from global markets and punishing Russian officials and elites in some way related to the “unjustified act of war,” as the Justice Department said. US and European allies have increased sanctions against Russian elites and even Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.
“The Department of Justice will use all its authorities to confiscate the property of individuals and entities that violate these sanctions,” Garland said in a statement. “We will not leave a stone unturned in our efforts to investigate, arrest and prosecute those whose criminal acts allow the Russian government to continue this unjust war. Let me be clear: if you violate our laws, we will hold you accountable.” .
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said those who “strengthen” the Russian regime will be deprived of a “safe haven.”
- The US is expanding sanctions against Russia with new actions directed at the Central Bank
- There is widespread support for sanctions on Russia, protecting allies after invasion – CBS News poll
The working group will be executed outside the Deputy Attorney General’s Office and will consist of staff with experience in confiscation of property, fight against money laundering, taxation and collection of foreign evidence, among other specialties. Aside from Justice Department officials across the country, the task force will include agents from agencies such as the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the IRS, and the U.S. Postal Service. US and US Marshals Service.
The task force will use tools ranging from intelligence sources to cryptocurrency tracking to look for oligarchs trying to evade sanctions. European leaders also have a mission to identify and confiscate the assets of the sanctioned Russians.
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