The investigation concerns in particular laundering of tax fraud and violations of international sanctions. Russian businessman Alexei Kuzmitchev was arrested Monday in France and placed in police custody, judicial sources close to the case said. “Searchs were carried out today in several places, notably in the Var and at the Parisian home of Mr. Kouzmitchev,” said the judicial source, confirming information from the newspaper The world.
The Russian businessman was arrested in Saint-Tropez (Var), the close source told AFP. He was placed in police custody in a preliminary investigation entrusted to the Anti-Corruption Office (Oclciff), opened in particular for laundering tax fraud and violation of international sanctions.
Ties with Vladimir Putin
Alexei Kuzmitchev is considered “a large shareholder of the Alfa Group conglomerate, which includes Alfa Bank, one of Russia’s largest taxpayers”, according to the European Union, which placed him on the list of persons targeted by sanctions on March 15, 2022.
This sixty-year-old “is considered one of the most influential people in Russia, with well-established links with the Russian president: Vladimir Putin’s eldest daughter, Maria, led a charitable project, Alfa-Endo, which was financed by Alfa Bank”, underlined the EU in a document detailing the list of people sanctioned.
Two frozen yachts
According to The world, “Mr. Kuzmitchev was already in France at the time of his addition to the sanctions list” and “he also has family ties in the country”. The businessman had seen two of his yachts, Ursa Minor And The Little Dipper IIfrozen in March 2022 as part of sanctions taken by the EU after the invasion of Ukraine.
With a length of 24 and 16.5 m, these two ships, moored in Antibes and Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes) at the time, had a value of 4 and 1.2 million euros, a source then reported. close to the file. In October and December 2022, it obtained the cancellation of customs procedures but this decision had no impact on the measure to freeze its ships.
According to a source close to the matter, Alexei Kuzmitchev has initiated proceedings with the EU to have his inclusion on the sanctions list canceled. The decision is due on November 15.