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U.S. Treasury Department Issues Sanctions on Ramzan Kadyrov, Including ACA


The United States Department of the Treasury has sanctioned Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov for human right abuses, affecting fighters associating with Kadyrov or competing in his promotion of Absolute Championship Akhmat.

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On Thursday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has placed sanctions on a number of international figures for “serious human right abuse across several countries in the Western Hemisphere, Middle East, and Eurasia.” Multiple parties in Haiti, Yemen and other countries have been sanctioned, and this includes Chechen leader Kadyrov. The OFAC designated Kadyrov as, “a foreign person who is a leader of an organization…that has engaged in…serious human rights abuses.”

Kadyrov was marked in 2017 by the OFAC as “responsible for extrajudicial killing, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights,” while Kadyrov claimed it was in the guise of law enforcement and crime prevention. Since then, the OFAC has determined that either Kadyrov himself or through his leadership, these kidnappings, tortures and killings have specifically targeted the LGBTI population as well as journalists and political activists.

The implications of these sanctions are far-reaching for Americans that do business with Kadyrov or any of the six organizations under his ownership, including ACA and his fight team of Akhmat MMA. Effective immediately, “all property and interests in property…that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the OFAC.” This includes entities or organization where Kadyrov or his representatives own at least 50 percent or more.

Where fighters and figures are involved, unless specifically permitted by the OFAC, “OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. person or within (or transiting) the United States that involve the property or interests in property.” This ruling also prohibits U.S. citizens or those in the U.S. using visas from being paid by Kadyrov or his companies, barring “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services, by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any person.”

ACA crowned its first-ever American champion at ACA 114 on Nov. 26, when Tony Johnson demolished Daniel Omielanczuk in 69 seconds to win the heavyweight throne -- although Brett Cooper once held a welterweight title, that was in the ACB organization prior to the ACB/WFCA merger. On that card alone, three Americans competed, including Johnson, Daniel James and Cory Hendricks. Many major figures in the sport have prior involvement with Kadyrov, including the likes of Chris Weidman, Frank Mir, Fabricio Werdum – the three traveled to a past event together on the behest of Kadyrov along with many other names over the years like Frankie Edgar, Alexander Gustafsson and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Somewhat recently, Nurmagomedov traveled to Chechnya in 2019 to dine with Kadyrov. Manager Ali Abdelaziz later attempted to explain the relationship on an episode of The MMA Hour in 2019. Kadyrov was in attendance in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, at UFC 242 to witness Nurmagomedov defeat Dustin Poirier, and he celebrated with the champ after the victory.

The OFAC statement regarding Kadyrov’s sanctions can be read as follows:

”Ramzan Kadyrov (Kadyrov), the Head of the Chechen Republic, is being designated today pursuant to the Global Magnitsky E.O. for being a foreign person who is a leader of an organization, the Kadyrovtsy, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuses. Kadyrov and the forces he commands, commonly known as the Kadyrovtsy, are implicated in the murder of Boris Nemtsov, an opposition politician to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and other serious violations of human rights. On December 20, 2017, OFAC designated Kadyrov pursuant to the Russia Magnitsky Act for being responsible for extrajudicial killing, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against individuals seeking to expose illegal activity carried out by officials of the Government of the Russian Federation, or to obtain, exercise, defend, or promote internationally recognized human rights and freedoms, such as the freedoms of religion, expression, association, and assembly, and the rights to a fair trial and democratic elections, in the Russian Federation.

“Following Kadyrov’s previous designation, the Kadyrovtsy, under the guidance of Kadyrov, continued these egregious activities, to include kidnapping, torturing, and killing members of the LGBTI population in the Chechen Republic. The Kadyrovtsy are accused of illegal abductions, torture, extrajudicial executions, and other abuses, including the detention of journalists and activists.

“In addition to Kadyrov, OFAC is designating the following six companies registered in Russia that continue to provide Kadyrov pride and significant profit:

Absolute Championship Akhmat for being owned or controlled by Kadyrov.
Akhmat MMA for being owned or controlled by Kadyrov.
FC Akhmat Grozny for being owned or controlled by Kadyrov.
Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation for being owned or controlled by Kadyrov.
Megastroyinvest, OOO for being owned or controlled by the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation.
Chechen Mineral Waters Ltd. for being owned or controlled by the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the persons above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.”


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