Unnamed Uzbek "Government Official A"/ Mobile Telesystems and Vimpelcom Telecom Case (United States chapter)

According to the US Department of Justice Press Release in the FCPA case against VimpelCom, "The department has also filed two civil complaints seeking a total of $850 million in forfeiture. A complaint filed today seeks forfeiture of approximately $550 million in proceeds of illegal bribes paid, or property involved in the laundering of those payments, to the Uzbek official by VimpelCom and two other telecommunications companies operating in Uzbekistan. The $550 million is currently located in Swiss bank accounts. The department also filed a prior complaint seeking forfeiture of an additional $300 million in proceeds of illegal bribes paid, or property involved in the laundering of those payments, to the same Uzbek official. The assets sought to be forfeited in that complaint are restrained in Belgium, Luxembourg and Ireland. In that case, on Jan. 11, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered a partial default judgment against all potential claimants other than the Republic of Uzbekistan. As alleged in the complaints and as is part of the criminal resolutions announced today, the telecom companies paid a total of more than $800 million in bribes so that the Uzbek official would assist VimpelCom and other telecommunications companies in obtaining and retaining business in Uzbekistan. Thereafter, the official’s associates laundered the corruption proceeds through accounts held in Latvia, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The illicit funds were transmitted through financial institutions in the United States before they were deposited into accounts in these countries, thereby subjecting them to U.S. jurisdiction."  (Source: US Department of Justice Press Release, "VimpelCom Limited and Unitel LLC Enter into Global Foreign Bribery Resolution of More Than $795 Million; United States Seeks $850 Million Forfeiture in Corrupt Proceeds of Bribery Scheme," February 18, 2016.)  

As of June 27, 2016, the case against assets held in accounts belonging to First Global is stayed, pending settlement discussions by the Department of Justice and involved parties. (US v. All Assets Held in Accounts [belonging to First Global], Case No. 15-cv-05063 (SDNY), Stipulation filed April 27, 2016 and Court Docket Report as of June 26, 2016.) while a partial default judgment motion was filed in late June 2016 in case against assets held on behalf of Takilant Limited and Tozian Limited. (Source:  US v. All Funds Held in accounts at Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch and Cie Bank et al, Case No. 16-cv-01256 (SDNY), Partial Default Judgment motion filed June 23, 2016.)