Enabler who hid assets of a sanctioned Russian oligarch faces up to 60 years in prison

Graham Bonham-Carter [age 62], A wealthy British businessman, faces up to 60 years in prison after being arrested yesterday on a US warrant.

He is accused of concealing the assets of Oleg Deripaska, the sanctioned Russian oligarch.

It is alleged he:-

• Funded Deripaska properties in the US and the UK and
• Tried to expatriate the oligarch's artwork from New York to London.

The US authorities claim that the properties he manages for Deripaska include:-

• A £50 million mansion in Belgravia Square, central London.

The US Department of Justice claims that emails show the businessman refers to Deripaska as "boss" and continues to work for entities controlled by the oligarch despite the imposition of sanctions in 2018.

It said that the US government would seek Bonham-Carter's extradition on three charges of

• Sanctions violations and wire fraud,
• Which each carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Bonham-Carter is alleged to have managed over $1 million of illicit transactions from Russia to fund

• Staff costs,
• Maintenance and
• Taxes on two properties owned by Deripaska in New York City and a third in Washington DC.

Michael Driscoll, the FBI assistant director in charge of the case, said:

• "With each new action we take, we shine a light on the vast network of individuals willing to work with Russian oligarchs who brazenly break our laws and abuse our financial systems.
• "Bonham-Carter allegedly hid Deripaska's money and assets from federal authorities, and continued to do so even after Deripaska was sanctioned by the US."

Oleg Deripaska

1. Oleg Deripaska was one of seven oligarchs hit with sanctions by the UK in March
2. Oleg Deripaska was one of seven oligarchs hit with sanctions by the UK in March - Deripaska was among two dozen Russian oligarchs and government officials blacklisted by Washington in 2018 in connection with Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 US election. He has been charged with violating US sanctions, including claims his girlfriend was flown to the country to give birth to his child.
3. Deripaska was one of seven oligarchs hit with sanctions by the UK in March when he was described as being "closely associated" with President Putin and "involved in destabilising and threatening" Ukraine.
4. The oligarch gained his fortune during the "aluminium wars", the anarchic period during which Soviet state assets went into private ownership.
5. He founded metals company EN+ and helped list it on the London Stock Exchange but gave up control of the business in 2018 after the US sanctions.
6. Lord Barker, former energy minister, resigned as chairman this year following a backlash against Russian linked businesses in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

Source

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/2d98fe2c-499a-11ed-8b55-aaf85c581598?shareToken=ac666803fcb180587a39339e17712861