Moscow urges London to return funds transferred to the UK by Russian citizens
In an interview with Russian NTV TV channel, Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika has urged London to return the 500 billion rubles which were withdrawn to the UK by Russian citizens who are convicted according to Russia’s economic laws.
A law has been in effect in Britain since February according to which the authorities may freeze the suspicious assets of foreigners until the origins of the funds or assets are explained.
“It was stolen in Russia, and now Britain is taking everything into its own state budget. You can keep the criminals, but return the money. It’s our money,” the Prosecutor General said. According to him, the Prosecutor General’s Office “sincerely hopes” that “the law will be used by the British authorities in accordance with the norms of a civilized government, and not according to the principle ‘steal what is stolen’”.
Chaika complained already in 2017 that London was in no hurry to return the withdrawn funds to Russia. According to the Prosecutor General, there are more than 60 people in England whom Russia has placed on the international wanted list for economic crimes.
According to the British National Crime Agency, as much as 90 billion pounds (127 billion dollars) is laundered through the country on an annual basis. In 2017, Bloomberg reported that at least 10 billion dollars had been withdrawn from Russia through Deutsche Bank “mirror deals” in Moscow and London.