US charges Russian oligarch, dismantles cybercrime operation

By ERIC TUCKER and MICHAEL BALSAMO
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has charged a Russian oligarch with sanctions violations and has taken down a cybercrime operation controlled by a Russian military intelligence agency. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the actions at a news conference Wednesday. The case against against Konstantin Malofeyev accuses him of trying to evade earlier Treasury Department sanctions by seeking to secretly acquire media organizations across Europe. Officials also seized millions of dollars they say are traceable to the sanctions violations. The Justice Department is accelerating efforts to track down illicit Russian assets and U.S. prosecutors are helping European counterparts gather evidence on potential war crimes committed by Russia during its war on Ukraine.