USA imposes sanctions against former first dpty head of Yanukovych Administration Portnov, his charity organization – Interfax-Ukraine

UNIAN

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury Department has included former Deputy Head of President Viktor Yanukovych's Administration, Andriy Portnov, in the sanction list, as Interfax-Ukraine reported.

The corresponding message was published on the website of the U.S. Treasury Department. In addition, sanctions were imposed against the Andriy Portnov's charitable foundation.

Portnov is designated as a foreign person who is a current or former government official, or a person acting for or on behalf of such an official, who is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery, the explanation for the updated list reads.

"Widely known as a court fixer, Portnov was credibly accused of using his influence to buy access and decisions in Ukraine's courts and undermining reform efforts. As of 2019, Portnov took steps to control the Ukrainian judiciary, influence associated legislation, sought to place loyal officials in senior judiciary positions, and purchase court decisions. In mid-2019, Portnov colluded with a high ranking Ukrainian government official to shape the country's higher legal institutions to their advantage and influence Ukraine's Constitutional Court. Additionally, Portnov has been involved in an attempt to influence the Ukrainian Prosecutor General," the OFAC said.

Portnov was included in the GLOMAG sanction list, created on the basis of the Global Magnitsky Act. This list includes individuals suspected by the United States of corruption and human rights abuses. The law provides for a ban on listed individuals from entering the United States and freezing their financial assets.

Interfax-Ukraine