Read on Twitter
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
https://www.occrp.org/en/investigations/flight-of-the-monarch-us-govt-contracted-airline-once-owned-by-russian-criminals 1/
But Monarch Air’s unusual past didn’t stop it winning U.S. gov’t contracts
https://www.occrp.org/en/investigations/flight-of-the-monarch-us-govt-contracted-airline-once-owned-by-russian-criminals 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/
This investigation was produced in collaboration with @istories_media
Read their story in Russian here: https://istories.media/investigations/2020/11/27/proletaya-nad-amerikoi/
Read their story in Russian here: https://istories.media/investigations/2020/11/27/proletaya-nad-amerikoi/
