WASHINGTON – The United States has imposed financial sanctions on a Georgian-born "key member" of the Brothers' Circle Eurasian crime syndicate.
In a statement, the Treasury Department froze the U.S. assets of Zahar Kalashov and barred U.S. companies from doing business with him, describing Kalashov as a "prominent Eurasian organized crime figure" guilty of money laundering, extortion, arms and drugs trafficking, and other crimes.
The Brothers' Circle is a network of leaders of several criminal groups based largely in the former Soviet Union, but also operating worldwide.
The Treasury also imposed sanctions on Almanbet Anapiaev and Adilet Kasenov, both of Kyrgyzstan, for ties to Kamchybek Kolbaev, a previously sanctioned member of the Brothers' Circle.
The statement said Kasenov "reportedly also serves as the 'criminal governor' of the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan."
In a statement, the Treasury Department froze the U.S. assets of Zahar Kalashov and barred U.S. companies from doing business with him, describing Kalashov as a "prominent Eurasian organized crime figure" guilty of money laundering, extortion, arms and drugs trafficking, and other crimes.
The Brothers' Circle is a network of leaders of several criminal groups based largely in the former Soviet Union, but also operating worldwide.
The Treasury also imposed sanctions on Almanbet Anapiaev and Adilet Kasenov, both of Kyrgyzstan, for ties to Kamchybek Kolbaev, a previously sanctioned member of the Brothers' Circle.
The statement said Kasenov "reportedly also serves as the 'criminal governor' of the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan."