US Obtains Warrant to Seize Russian Energy Company's Aircraft

U.S. authorities have obtained a warrant from the federal district court in South Texas to seize a $45 million airplane owned by Russian oil and gas company Lukoil.

The warrant was confirmed Wednesday through a press release from the U.S. Justice Department and followed reports that the Boeing model 737-7EM aircraft violated sanctions when it flew into and out of Russia in 2019.

At least three different arms of the federal government are investigating the case: the FBI, the Commerce Department and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas issued a separate news release on Wednesday confirming the Justice Department's press release and highlighting the importance of U.S. officials unsealing the affidavit for the case.

"The aircraft at the center of today's affidavit was ultimately the property of Lukoil, though that ownership was obscured through a now-public series of holding companies," stated department official Andrew C. Adams.

"With today's unsealed affidavit, ... companies are made aware of that nesting doll structure and can proactively avoid the provision of services that might aid the movement of this tainted aircraft as the United States pursues its seizure," he added.

Officials believe the aircraft last flew from overseas to Houston with top Lukoil officials, including Russian oligarch and then-president and CEO Vagit Alekperov.

According to the Justice Department, the trip violated sanctions the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed in 2014 after the Kremlin annexed Crimea.

The plane is being pursued by the Justice Department's Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency group aimed at enforcing sanction laws, export controls and countermeasures levied on Russia.

"Today's actions to enforce the powerful export restrictions placed on Russia are our latest coordinated measures that let Vladimir Putin and his allies know they are isolated, and we are watching," said Commerce Department official Matthew S. Axelrod.

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