The Frankfurt Prosecutor’s Office has completed its money laundering investigation against Uzbek-Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov. The case was settled on October 11, 2024, when Usmanov agreed to pay 1.5 million euros to non-profit organizations and 2.5 million euros to the German treasury. When these payments are completed, the case will be completely closed.
Prosecutors say the alleged actions in question occurred long ago and did not cause financial damage in Germany. This decision was made under section 153a of the German Criminal Procedure Code, which allows cases to be dropped if the crime is minor and prosecution isn’t in the public interest.
Usmanov’s lawyers praised the result, calling it a step towards restoring his reputation. They noted that the investigation found no evidence to support money laundering charges. Usmanov has now decided not to file a counter lawsuit against prosecutors or demand damages.
In 2022, a Frankfurt court deemed the searches of properties linked to Usmanov in Germany illegal, and all seized items were ordered to be returned. However, in 2023, the German Constitutional Court declined Usmanov’s complaint over the searches, stating that he had not exhausted all legal options before filing the complaint.
Previously, The Times of Central Asia reported that the news from the Hamburg court about Usmanov as broadcast by the German TV channel ARD was found to be unreliable. ARD accused Usmanov of creating a system of bribing International Fencing Federation (FIE) judges.
According to the report, the court found the information published by the ARD channel unreliable and banned its distribution as “inappropriate news based on suspicion.” If the court order is violated, the party found to be in violation can be fined up to 250,000 euros per episode or face imprisonment.
