Russian elite invested nearly $100 million in Trump buildings
SPECIAL REPORT-Russian elite invested nearly $100 million in Trump buildings, records show
Nathan Layne, Ned Parker, Svetlana Reiter, Stephen Grey
Fri, 17 Mar '17 | 1:58 PM ET
Reuters
MIAMI/MOSCOW, March 17 (Reuters) - During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald J. Trump downplayed his business ties with Russia. And since taking office as president, he has been even more emphatic.
I can tell you, speaking for myself, I own nothing in Russia, President Trump said at a news conference last month. I have no loans in Russia. I dont have any deals in Russia."
But in the United States, members of the Russian elite have invested in Trump buildings. A Reuters review has found that at least 63 individuals with Russian passports or addresses have bought at least $98.4 million worth of property in seven Trump-branded luxury towers in southern Florida, according to public documents, interviews and corporate records.
The buyers include politically connected businessmen, such as a former executive in a Moscow-based state-run construction firm that works on military and intelligence facilities, the founder of a St. Petersburg investment bank and the co-founder of a conglomerate with interests in banking, property and electronics.
People from the second and third tiers of Russian power have invested in the Trump buildings as well. One recently posted a photo of himself with the leader of a Russian motorcycle gang that was sanctioned by the United States for its alleged role in Moscows seizure of Crimea.
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http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/17/reuters-america-special-report-russian-elite-invested-nearly-100-million-in-trump-buildings-records-show.html