German law enforcement and customs officials conducted searches at multiple properties in southern Germany on September 5. As per an insider, these properties belonged to a Russian individual who is the subject of European Union sanctions due to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
The source, speaking to Reuters, identified the target of the search as Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, a Russian-Uzbek businessman.
In response to a request for comment from Reuters, a spokesperson for Usmanov stated, "There can be no reason for suspicion against Mr. Usmanov, who has always fully disclosed the personal property he lawfully acquired, along with the funds used for these acquisitions."
The spokesperson emphasized that Usmanov was not the owner of the trust he established and did not have the authority to control or manage its assets. Consequently, he had no knowledge of the current status of the trust's property.
The German customs authority's sanctions office established a special commission called "Matryoshka," which announced that the searches were carried out at locations in greater Munich and Tegernsee in Bavaria. In September 2022, German police had previously conducted searches at Usmanov's villa in the holiday town of Rottach-Egern on the Tegernsee shores. Subsequently, a court ruled that those raids were unlawful.
The German customs authority's special commission explained that they were executing court-issued search warrants and cited tactical reasons for not providing further details about the operation.
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