US Congressman Rohrabacher and Congressional Staffer Behrends Named for Violations of US Treasury Sanctions Under Magnitsky Act

July 24, 2017

Press Release

For Immediate Distribution

US Congressman Rohrabacher and Congressional Staffer Behrends Named for Violations of US Treasury Sanctions Under Magnitsky Act

24 July 2017 – A new complaint has been filed with the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) naming US Congressman Rohrabacher and his senior staffer Paul Behrends for violations of Magnitsky sanctions.

The complaint filed with the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the US Treasury alleges that both individuals provided services to Russian Deputy General Prosecutor Victor Grin, a sanctioned individual under the Magnitsky Act.

Rohrabacher and Behrends met with Grin [a Russian official sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act] in Moscow in April 2016, and accepted material from Grin which Grin sought to have Rohrabacher use to undermine the Magnitsky Act… Rohrabacher and Behrends then repeatedly undertook a series of actions to undermine the Magnitsky Act …relying on talking points provided to them by Grin, with the apparent goal of securing the removal of Grin as an SDN [Sanctions Designated National] through means outside of the designated OFAC licensing process,” says the complaint filed with OFAC by Hermitage Capital Management on Friday, 21 July 2017.

The complaint states that Rohrabacher and Behrends met with Grin in April 2016 in Moscow to discuss his problems as a Sanctions Designated National (“SDN”) under the Magnitsky Act and agreed to take action to help him. Since that meeting, according to the complaint, Rohrabacher and Behrends took action, including delaying the consideration of the Global Magnitsky Act, repeating to members of Congress talking points from the paper provided to them by the sanctioned Russian official, made personal introductions for lobbyists advocating Russian government’s and Grin’s position against the Magnitsky Act on behalf of the 44 sanctioned Russian nationals. In addition, Rohrabacher and Behrends promoted the anti-Magnitsky film which was based on the material and information from the Sanctions Designated Nationals.

“They [these actions] constitute services provided to a SDN by U.S. persons in apparent violation of the Magnitsky Act sanctions which expressly forbid U.S. persons to provide such services,” says the complaint.

Deputy General Prosecutor of Russia Victor Grin played a central role in the cover up of the US$230 million crime exposed by Sergei Magnitsky. Victor Grin personally initiated two posthumous prosecutions against Sergei Magnitsky a year and a half after Sergei Magnitsky’s death, and exonerated officials implicated by Magnitsky in the US$230 million fraud.

Since  December 29, 2014, Victor Grin has been sanctioned under the US Magnitsky Act.

Dana Rohrabacher is a member of the U.S House of Representatives representing California’s 48th congressional district.

Paul Behrends has been employed in Congress since Q3 ’14, and has also been a staffer for House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

For more information, please contact:

 

Justice for Sergei Magnitsky

+44 207 440 1777

e-mail: info@lawandorderinrussia.org

www.lawandorderinrussia.org

billbrowder.com

twitter.com/Billbrowder

 

 

OFAC complaint

http://russian-untouchables.com/docs/OFAC%20complaint%20filed_Redacted.pdf

 

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