BREAKING NEWS: US sanctions Emperor Aviation and eight related aircraft
Maltese operator Emperor Aviation has been sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) along with eight related aircraft.
The company and aircraft have been added to OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list for conducting travel for the family of Suleiman Kerimov. Kerimov, an oligarch and former major stakeholder in Gazprom and Uralkali, has been sanctioned twice by the US. Firstly, in April 2018 for being a Russian government official and again in September 2022 for his connections to government-backed corporate business.
OFAC alleges Emperor Aviation operated travel for Kerimov’s immediate family, including daughter Gulnara, even after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Emperor was designated pursuant to Executive Order: 14024 for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy and for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Gulnara.
OFAC also identified eight aircraft as blocked property that Emperor Aviation has an interest in:
- 9H-AMN, a Bombardier BD-700-1A11 (Manufacturer’s Serial Number (MSN) 9324)
- 9H-ARK, a Bombardier BD-700-1A10 (MSN 60011)
- 9H-EAA, a Cessna Citation XLS+ (MSN 6170)
- 9H-MAO, a Bombardier BD-700-1A10 (MSN 9223)
- 9H-OKO, a Gulfstream G650 (MSN 6356)
- 9H-SIS, a Bombardier Challenger (MSN 6050)
- 9H-SSK, a Gulfstream G650 (MSN 6195)
- 9H-TIO, a Bombardier BD-700-1A10 (MSN 9813)
Emperor Aviation owner and founder, Irakli Litanishvili could not be reached for comment.
