A representative of the U.S. Treasury Department, Adam Szubin, has told BBC Panorama that Russian President Vladimir Putin is considered to be corrupt. Adam Szubin, who oversees US Treasury sanctions, has also told that the US government has known this for "many, many years".
A representative of the U.S. Treasury Department, Adam Szubin, has told BBC Panorama that Russian President Vladimir Putin is considered to be corrupt. Adam Szubin, who oversees US Treasury sanctions, has also told that the US government has known this for "many, many years".
Szubin said: "We've seen him enriching his friends, his close allies, and marginalising those who he doesn't view as friends using state assets. Whether that's Russia's energy wealth, whether it's other state contracts, he directs those to whom he believes will serve him and excludes those who don't. To me, that is a picture of corruption."
The Independent published "five things" they learned about "the Russian President's secret wealth": a $1 billion palace on the Black Sea coast, a vast fortune (In April, Putin declared 2014 income of 7.65 million roubles ($119,000)), huge oil business stakes and a yacht from Roman Abramovich. The "fifth thing" was Putin's corruption Adam Szubin told BBC about.
Kremlin denied such allegations. "Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the allegation was an "official accusation" and a "total fabrication", informs BBC. Vladimir Putin's spokesman told reporters in Moscow that BBC Panorama allegations would have looked like "another classic case of irresponsible journalism, if not for an official comment from a representative of the US finance ministry".
