Dimitri Simes, 76, and his wife, Anastasia Simes, 55, are facing charges of laundering money and violating U.S. sanctions for Channel One Russia, a Russian broadcasting station sanctioned by the United States in May 2022. They are also charged with violating sanctions imposed against Russian oligarch Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Udodov by purchasing art and antiques used to launder money. 

Channel One Russia was sanctioned by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for being owned, controlled, and acting on behalf of the Russian government. 

In the first indictment, the couple is accused of becoming involved in a scheme in June 2022 in which they served as presenters and producers of programming for Channel One Russia. They received more than a million dollars, a personal car and driver, money for an apartment in Moscow, Russia, and a team of 10 employees. Their involvement with Channel One Russia was in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. 

They each face one count of conspiracy to violate the IEEPA, one count of violating the IEEPA, and one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering. For each of these charges, they could serve 20 years in prison if convicted. 

In the second indictment, the couple allegedly assisted Udodov in a money laundering scheme by purchasing artwork for him and then storing it at their Virginia home before shipping it to Russia beginning in February 2023. Anastasia Simes was reimbursed and also received a service fee. OFAC sanctioned Udodov for operating in the management consulting sector of the Russian Federation economy. 

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The Simes are currently at large, but they are suspected to be in Russia. 

The investigation was led by the DOJ’s Task Force KleptoCapture, which was created to enforce sanctions against Russia following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.