The U.S. justice Department did not say where the accused are now

Photo: The United States Department of Justice / Facebook

In the US, five Russians and three Syrians were charged with violating economic sanctions against Syria and the occupied Crimea. On 12 June, reported the press service of the U.S. Department of justice.

Employees of the Russian shipping company “Sovfracht” Ivan Okorokova, Ilya Loginov, Karen Stepanyan, Alexey Konkovo, Lyudmila Melikovoy, as well as the representative of the company in Syria Acero Nasser and inspectors to the Syrian port of Baniyas and Farid Gabriel Bitaro charged with unlawful delivery of aviation fuel and money laundering.

According to investigators, the group used shell companies for dollar transactions. Illegal transportation of energy resources to Syria was done with the help of tankers “IDE” and “Muhalatka” Russian company “Transperant”.

In the US the maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit violations of the sanctions to five years in prison and money laundering is 20 years. The investigation leads the FBI. The U.S. justice Department did not say where are now the defendants.

“Sovfracht” is in the sanctions list of the USA from September 2016 because of the cooperation with the authorities of the annexed Crimea. In may 2017 Washington blocked two translation company worth nearly $3 million relating to the supply to Syria of jet fuel.