The European Union imposed sanctions against the son of the ex-Prosecutor General of Russia Yuri Chaika – Igor Chaika. The reason is the "destabilization" of the Republic of Moldova, according to the official journal of the EU. Chaika Jr. is responsible for funding “FSB projects aimed at destabilizing Moldova,” and also supported actions “threaten the sovereignty, independence, democracy, rule of law and stability of the republic,” the document says.
The leader of the pro-Russian Shor party, Ilan Shor, his deputy Marina Tauber, the leader of the Building Europe at Home party, Georgy Cavkalyuk, and the Moldovan oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc were also sanctioned. The list also includes the Russian singer Jasmine, who is Shor's wife.
Earlier, similar sanctions were imposed by the United States. According to the United States Department of the Treasury, Chaika is associated with members of the hacker group Evil Corp, which is also under sanctions, and had plans to "undermine the position of Moldovan President Maia Sandu and return Moldova to Russia's sphere of influence."
At the same time, Igor Chaika's brother Artem is doing better in Europe. In 2015, Alexei Navalny published an investigation stating that Artem Chaika was the beneficiary of companies registered in Switzerland and Greece, which received income from Yuri Chaika's allegedly illegal activities in the Russian Federation.
The Alexei Navalny Anti-Corruption Foundation claimed that Artem Chaika and his wife opened accounts in Switzerland back in 2003 and 2004. Somewhat later, through these accounts and the companies FT Conseils Sàrl and Juridical House SA, millions of illegally obtained amounts in Russia were transferred. At first, a certain Igor Chaika appeared as one of the owners, then he was replaced by a Russian citizen Artem Chaika.
One of the firms, FT Conseils Sàrl, is still operating, according to OpenCorporates.
The Swiss prosecutor's office, in turn, considered a letter from Alexei Navalny with the arguments of the investigation and evidence of the brothers' participation in illegal financial transactions. And she refused to initiate a case against Artem Chaika. During the check, the fact of the stay in Switzerland of the persons named in the complaint, as well as their connection with the company mentioned in it, was confirmed. However, no evidence of money laundering was found.
