The U.S. Justice Department under President Donald Trump has ended Task Force KleptoCapture, which targeted Russian oligarchs under U.S. sanctions. Attorney General Pam Bondi said resources will now focus on drug cartels and international gangs, marking a major shift in enforcement priorities.
The task force was established under former President Joe Biden to freeze assets linked to Russian elites and enforce sanctions imposed after the war in Ukraine. It led to indictments of figures like Oleg Deripaska and Konstantin Malofeyev, as well as seizures of yachts owned by sanctioned billionaires Suleiman Kerimov and Viktor Vekselberg.
According to Bondi’s directive, prosecutors assigned to the task force will return to their previous roles, and the new policy will be in effect for at least 90 days, with the possibility of renewal.
Trump has expressed interest in improving U.S.-Russia relations and previously vowed to end the war in Ukraine, though without detailing how. His administration’s shift toward combating drug cartels follows his designation of cartel groups as terrorist organizations, part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking.
The decision also affects enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a U.S. foreign bribery law that has led to major corporate cases over the last decade. The Justice Department’s FCPA unit will now prioritize cartel-related bribery investigations, a move some legal experts call a significant departure from past enforcement strategies.
Read next
02:19
The Sarandí stream in Buenos Aires, Argentina, turned bright red on Thursday for unknown reasons, raising concerns among authorities and residents. The waterway, which flows into the Río de la Plata, is under investigation to determine the cause.
02:02
The Trump administration will retain fewer than 300 staff at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) out of its global workforce of over 10,000, sources told Reuters. The decision follows USAID’s effective shutdown after Trump’s foreign aid freeze, leaving key relief efforts in crisis.
00:41
The Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid has thrown the global famine response system into disarray, halting food shipments, shuttering relief programs, and cutting off vital early warning systems. Aid groups warn that without action, millions face worsening hunger.
00:07
The U.S. Justice Department under President Donald Trump has ended Task Force KleptoCapture, which targeted Russian oligarchs under U.S. sanctions. Attorney General Pam Bondi said resources will now focus on drug cartels and international gangs, marking a major shift in enforcement priorities.
00:04
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented U.S. President Donald Trump with a golden pager during their meeting in Washington on February 4, an apparent reference to Israel’s 2024 operation in Lebanon, where Hezbollah-linked communication devices were targeted.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment