Spanish authorities seize sanctioned Russian oligarch's yacht at request of U.S.

Spanish law enforcement officers have seized a yacht that belongs to Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg at the request of the United States, according to the Justice Department.

The yacht – christened the "Tango" – was subject to forfeiture based on alleged U.S. bank fraud and money laundering charges, as well as sanction statues.

Justice's interagency law enforcement Klepto Capture Task Force coordinated the seizure.

"Today marks our task force’s first seizure of an asset belonging to a sanctioned individual with close ties to the Russian regime," Attorney General Merrick Garland said. "It will not be the last. Together, with our international partners, we will do everything possible to hold accountable any individual whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue its unjust war."

The seizure of the roughly $90 million yacht can be viewed here.

The task force is dedicated to enforcing the "sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine," the department also said. 

The now-sanctioned Vekselberg was previously reported by Just the News to be linked financially to the Clintons, via direct and indirect donations to the Clinton Foundation.