Tax raid on Usmanow: 250 officers deployed nationwide

Investigators from the Federal Criminal Police Office and the tax investigators have searched the houses of the Russian oligarch Usmanov nationwide. It is about the suspicion of tax evasion, money laundering and violation of the foreign trade law.

Shortly after 9 a.m., the investigators drove up to Fischerstrasse in Rottach-Egern am Tegernsee. Their goal: a villa with a large property, a boathouse and other houses in the immediate vicinity. The Russian-Uzbek oligarch Alisher Usmanov has been living here quite regularly since 2014. He has been on an EU sanctions list since the outbreak of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. His assets in the European Union have been frozen.

After research by BR and MDR investigators from the Federal Criminal Police Office and the tax investigation began months ago to take a closer look at Usmanov’s financial situation. The background to this is said to have been a whole series of suspicious money laundering reports that were filed by banks with the outbreak of the war and the EU sanctions.

Raids in several places

The investigators noticed that Usmanov might have had to file tax returns since 2014. Because the Russian oligarch is said to have lived regularly in his house in Rottach-Egern. According to the income tax law, according to the investigators, he would have been subject to tax in Germany.

Since Usmanov apparently did not make these statements, he is now suspected of tax evasion worth millions. This is one of the reasons why the raids took place. The Munich II public prosecutor responsible only confirmed that 24 residential and business premises were searched, including in Rottach-Egern, Munich, Hamburg, Baden-Württemberg and Schleswig-Holstein. She did not want to comment on the tax raid for legal reasons.

The Munich public prosecutor suspects Usmanov of violating EU sanctions. According to the authorities, he is a Russian citizen. His property in Rottach-Egern and other houses on Tegernsee attributed to him were apparently guarded by a security company. He is said to have paid for this with funds that are said to have come from his frozen assets. Employees of the security company are also among the suspects.

But the raid is primarily about the accusation of money laundering and tax evasion. The Attorney General’s Office in Frankfurt announced that Usmanow had shifted amounts in the tens of millions via his network of companies, most of which are said to be located in tax havens. “There is a suspicion that the sums of money transferred came from criminal offenses, in particular from tax evasion offenses,” said the statement by the Attorney General’s Office and the BKA. These allegations could be related, among other things, to Usmanov’s various corporate investments and international investments.

Opaque network of offshore companies

This is linked to the suspicion that he has not paid any taxes on it in Germany since 2014 – although he lived here regularly. After research by BR and MDR Among other things, the investigators are investigating the fact that Usmanov held a majority stake in USM Holding Ltd through an opaque network of offshore companies. Usmanow is said to have returned shares to the holding company free of charge in 2014. The investigators suspect that gift tax of over half a billion euros would have been due here.

In this context, Usmanov’s business involvement with the top English football club Arsenal London could also be of interest to the investigators. Already in 2007, Usmanov was through the investment company Red and White Securitis Ltd. joined the club. First he had bought almost 15 percent of the shares. He then increased this to 23 and subsequently to 30 percent. When Usmanov and other investors fell out, he sold his shares in August 2018. Usmanow is said to have achieved revenues of more than half a billion euros. Here, too, tax payments might have been due in Germany.

Sizable aviation fleet

In addition to his corporate empire, Usmanov is credited with a sizeable aviation fleet. This should include an Airbus A340-300, a Dassault Falcon and two Airbus helicopters. According to information from BR and MDR the machines are said to belong to an opaque network of companies in Cyprus or the Cayman Islands.

Usmanow himself is said to have always rented the machines and apparently at an unreasonable price. In the jargon of financial investigations, this is called a covert distribution of profits, with which assets can be concealed. The investigators should also investigate this suspicion.

In addition to the real estate and property, which are said to be related to the investigation, BR– and MDR-Research also searched a tax consultancy firm in Bavaria. She is said to have been involved in the alleged evasion. questions from BR and MDR Usmanow has so far left unanswered about the allegations.