WASHINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) – On Mar. 2, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the launch of an interagency task force dedicated to enforcing sanctions, export restrictions, and other economic penalties against Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
Task Force KleptoCapture will be run out of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General and staffed with prosecutors, agents, analysts, and professional staff across the Department who are experts in sanctions and export control enforcement, anticorruption, asset forfeiture, anti-money laundering, tax enforcement, national security investigations, and foreign evidence collection.
“The Justice Department will use all of its authorities to seize the assets of individuals and entities who violate these sanctions,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue this unjust war. Let me be clear: if you violate our laws, we will hold you accountable.”
KleptoCapture’s mission will include investigating and prosecuting violations of sanctions imposed in response to “Russian aggression and corruption,” combatting efforts to undermine restrictions on Russian financial institutions including anti-money laundering measures, targeting the use of cryptocurrency to evade sanctions or launder money, and seize assets belonging to sanctioned individuals or identified as being gained through illegal means.
“To those bolstering the Russian regime through corruption and sanctions evasion: we will deprive you of safe haven and hold you accountable,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Oligarchs be warned: we will use every tool to freeze and seize your criminal proceeds.”
The Task Force will also work with interagency and foreign partners to help identify assets covered by new sanctions. It will complement the work of a transatlantic task force announced by U.S. President Joe Biden and European leaders on Feb. 26. KleptoCapture will also involve agents from multiple federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and IRS.
The Task Force is authorized to investigate and prosecute any criminal offense related to its mission, including conspiracy to obstruct government functions, money laundering, lying to a financial institution, bank fraud, and various task offenses. Officials said several of these penalties have maximum penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/9G2ag6k
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