Four Swiss bankers are accused of hiding tens of millions of Swiss francs on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The four people were employees of Gazprombank’s Swiss subsidiary, including its managing director Roman Abdulin, writes the Financial Times.
According to the document, the bankers, with criminal negligence, allowed accounts in Switzerland to be opened in the name of Sergei Roldugin, cellist and godfather of Putin’s daughter, without even questioning the origin of the funds.
“It is known that Russian President Putin has an official income of just over 100,000 francs and is not wealthy, but in fact has a vast fortune managed by those close to him,” the indictment reads.
However, a spokesman for Gazprombank in Switzerland which is ceasing operations due to Western sanctions denied the allegations against the bank’s employees.
According to the indictment, the bankers signed statements that the cellist was not a “politically exposed person” a formal designation that would have triggered additional scrutiny despite widespread public disclosure of his ties to Putin.
The cellist was worth at least $50 million and planned to funnel another $10 million a year through companies and fake accounts.
Prosecutors claim that the bankers knew Roldugin’s true meaning and connections.
The indictment goes on to say that the companies set up in Roldugin’s name were founded by Banco Rossiya employees who tried to hide their involvement with anonymous email addresses. “Bank Rossiya is the bank of Russia’s leaders and its majority shareholder and chairman of the board. [Yuri Kovalchuk] is considered Putin’s treasurer,” the indictment said.