US Places Sanctions on Russian Prigozhin Network Linked to Violent Suppression of Democratic Protestors in Sudan

July 15, 2015 (Washington, D.C.) – Today, the US Department of the Treasury placed sanctions on individuals and businesses linked to Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the financer of the Russian troll farm Internet Research Agency (IRA), for attempts to suppress protestors seeking democratic reform in Sudan. Targeted entities include M-Invest and Meroe Gold located in Sudan, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

Dr. Suliman Baldo, Senior Advisor at The Sentry, said: "The continued presence of these Prigozhin-linked companies in Sudan represents a threat to the fledgling democratic transition in the country. The ongoing theft of Sudan’s natural resources is a scandal that the civilian-led government should end immediately.”

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) action added M-Invest to its Specially Designated Nationals List. As a result of OFAC’s action today, US persons can no longer do business with the designated entities and any US bank accounts would be frozen.

Prigozhin is the financer of the Internet Research Agency (IRA), the Russian troll farm that was designated by OFAC in 2018. Prigozhin is also believed to be the financier behind Private Military Company (PMC) Wagner, a designated Russian Ministry of Defense proxy force. PMC Wagner’s activities in other countries, including Ukraine, Syria, Sudan, and Libya, have incited violence against innocent civilians. Due to his involvement in these activities and his connections to the Russian government, Prigozhin has been designated pursuant to Executive Orders (E.O.s) 13848, 13694, as amended, and 13661.

For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact: Greg Hittelman, Director of Communications, +1 310 717 0606, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ABOUT THE SENTRY

The Sentry is an investigative and policy team that follows the dirty money connected to African war criminals and transnational war profiteers and seeks to shut those benefiting from violence out of the international financial system. By disrupting the cost-benefit calculations of those who hijack governments for self-enrichment in East and Central Africa, the deadliest war zone globally since World War II, we seek to counter the main drivers of conflict and create new leverage for peace, human rights, and good governance. The Sentry is composed of financial investigators, international human rights lawyers, and regional experts, as well as former law enforcement agents, intelligence officers, policymakers, investigative journalists, and banking professionals. Co-founded by George Clooney and John Prendergast, The Sentry is a flagship initiative and strategic partner of the Clooney Foundation for Justice.
 

Learn more at www.TheSentry.org.