Feds Move to Seize Two Planes Worth More Than $400 Million from Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich

A U.S. judge signed a warrant authorizing the seizure of two luxury airplanes worth more than $400 million and traced by authorities to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, court filings indicate.

Federal authorities announced the judicial authorization as part of the U.S. Department of Justice Task Force KleptoCapture, rolled out by Attorney General Merrick Garland earlier this year in March, toward the early stages of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

“The Justice Department will use all of its authorities to seize the assets of individuals and entities who violate these sanctions,” Garland said at the time. “We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue this unjust war. Let me be clear: if you violate our laws, we will hold you accountable.”

Since that time, the Justice Department issued indictments under the U.S. sanctions regime and moved to seize a $300 million yacht. Other targets of Justice Department actions have been accused of flouting sanctions, but Abramovich is not currently on the list of individuals under U.S. sanctions.

Instead, the administrative actions announced on Monday hinge upon alleged export violations.