Four people and two companies linked to Cyprus included in new US sanction list

Four people and two companies have been included on the latest list of entities sanctioned by the United States due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The list was published on Thursday by the US Treasury Department and includes a total of 130 people and companies from across the globe.

Included on the list is a man by the name of Georgios Georgiou, who the US Treasury Department said, “is a money launderer who has facilitated money laundering globally for criminal organizations, corrupt businessmen, and Russian oligarchs.”

They added that Georgiou “has used various money laundering schemes to move hundreds of millions of dollars for Russian oligarchs and obfuscated the beneficial ownership of the funds.”

Cyprus is also mentioned in the information given about the “Artur Petrov Sanctions Evasion Network”. Petrov is said to be a Russian national who has resided in Cyprus and operated shell companies on the island.

The US Treasury Department said Petrov “orchestrated a complex sanctions evasion scheme to procure US-made electronics technology for Russian end-users.”

“The Cyprus Police provided critical assistance in effecting Petrov’s arrest … in the Republic of Cyprus at the request of the United States,” they added.

Also included on the list is Cypriot national Aegli Tamani Phella, who the US Treasury Department say is on the board of directors of multiple sanctioned companies.

The US Treasury Department said, “these actions target Russia’s domestic industrial base,” and impact “producers, exporters, and importers of nearly all high-priority items identified by the international coalition imposing sanctions and export controls on Russia.”

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said, “Russia depends on individuals and entities in third countries who are willing to supply its military and perpetuate its heinous war against Ukraine, and we will not hesitate to hold them accountable.”