The US and UK reported the exposure of an international network of companies that helped Russian elites circumvent sanctions

The British Crime Agency (NCA) has reported on the discovery of a criminal international money laundering network used by drug traffickers, financial criminals and foreign spies, including from Russia.

The NCA alleges that TGR Group and Smart laundered cash for transnational criminal gangs. In addition, from late 2022 to mid-2023, this network was used to finance Russian espionage operations. The companies also helped the Russia Today propaganda channel transport money to the UK and help their Russian clients circumvent British sanctions.

According to The Guardian, 84 people were arrested during the operation and more than £20 million in cash and cryptocurrency was seized.

The US Treasury imposed sanctions against five people and four legal entities associated with TGR Group. According to the department, the company is controlled by Ukrainian citizen George Rossi, and it has representative offices in the UK, Europe and Asia.

The agency believes that TGR Group collaborated with Smart Group, which is headed by Russian citizen Ekaterina Zhdanova. In 2023, the United States imposed sanctions on her because she helped Russian elites launder money. According to the ministry, Zhdanova was helped by Russians Khadzhimurat Magomedov and Nikita Krasnov, who were included in the sanctions list today.

Also subject to sanctions were Russian citizen Elena Chirkinyan from TGR Group, as well as Latvian citizen Andrejs Bradens from Pullman Global Solutions - this company was also sanctioned due to connections with an international money laundering network.