NEW: Starting in 2008, a small U.S. airline was taken over by a group of Russian investors. Two were later convicted of running an organized crime ring out of Trump Tower.
But Monarch Air’s unusual past didn’t stop it winning U.S. gov’t contracts 🛩️
occrp.org/en/investigati… 1/
But Monarch Air’s unusual past didn’t stop it winning U.S. gov’t contracts 🛩️
occrp.org/en/investigati… 1/
The two convicted investors, Anatoly Golubchik and Vadim Trincher, were sentenced to five years in jail in 2014 for running a “large-scale sports book” used to launder $100 million.
Golubchik was allegedly an "enforcer" for infamous Russian gang boss Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov. 2/
Golubchik was allegedly an "enforcer" for infamous Russian gang boss Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov. 2/
Today, the son of Trincher and Golubchik's business partner owns Monarch Air.
Despite these ties to organized crime, Monarch and another linked airline have won millions of $$$ in sensitive U.S. gov’t contracts -- including flying people in the witness protection program. 3/
Despite these ties to organized crime, Monarch and another linked airline have won millions of $$$ in sensitive U.S. gov’t contracts -- including flying people in the witness protection program. 3/
“The negligence is startling,” says Gary Kalman, director of @transparencyUSA.
“Airlines with a history of criminal affiliation contracted by the government to transport protected witnesses is something we'd expect to see in a spy novel, not in a news report.” 4/
“Airlines with a history of criminal affiliation contracted by the government to transport protected witnesses is something we'd expect to see in a spy novel, not in a news report.” 4/
@transparencyUSA This investigation was produced in collaboration with @istories_media
Read their story in Russian here:
istories.media/investigations…
Read their story in Russian here:
istories.media/investigations…
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