A Russian crime organization known as Prevezon Holdings Ltd. used New York buildings to launder funds related to a $230 million tax fraud scheme, federal prosecutors claimed. And now the feds are attempting to seize the properties.
The U.S. Department of Justice accused the organization of duping several companies out of millions of dollars. Prevezon Holdings used fake lawsuits against the Russia-based Hermitage Fund to generate fake money judgments, then members of the organization posed as Hermitage officials and pretended to claim tax refunds from the judgments, according to a DOJ complaint.
Corrupt Russian government officials are also members of the organization, said Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. [Bloomberg News] — Mark Maurer