A Russian yacht passing through Santo Domingo was searched on Friday April 1 by local authorities at the request of American justice, said the Dominican prosecutor's office.
"
The public prosecutor conducted a search of the yacht Flying Fox on Friday as part of an investigation into allegations of money laundering and arms trafficking
", according to the text.
Read alsoTwo new yachts of a Russian oligarch frozen in the south of France
This search comes as the “
United States has opened an investigation against several targets involved in international money laundering
”, it is specified in the press release.
The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia and people linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin following the Russian army's invasion of Ukraine.
2.1 billion dollars of fortune
The statement from the Dominican prosecutor's office does not name names, but according to US magazine
Forbes
, the luxury yacht is owned by Russian tycoon Dmitry Kamenshchik, whose fortune is estimated at $2.1 billion.
Dmitry Kamenshchik, 53, is notably the owner of Domodedovo airport in Moscow, which handles some 30.7 million travelers a year.
According to Imperial Yachts, the 136-meter-long Flying Fox has been anchored in Santo Domingo since March 21 and was inspected by US Homeland Security agents on March 25.
A tourist country renowned for its beaches, the Dominican Republic regularly attracts cruise ships or large luxury boats.