New York prosecutors expanded criminal inquiry of company last year and examined acceptance of $8m with suspected Russian ties
The first $2m payment to Trump Media came in December 2021 when the company was on the brink of collapse after the planned merger with Digital World – that would have unlocked millions for the company – was delayed when the SEC opened an inquiry into whether the arrangement broke regulatory rules.
In both instances, Orlando declined to provide details about the true identity of the lenders or the origin of the money to Trump Media executives, Trump Media’s since-ousted co-founder turned whistleblower Will Wilkerson recounted in an interview. , centers on a part-owner of Paxum Bank – an individual named Anton Postolnikov, who appears to be a relation of Putin ally Aleksandr Smirnov., worked in the Central Office of the Russian government until 2017. Before that, Smirnov was the First Deputy Minister of Justice of Russia until 2014, and for most of Putin’s first two terms as president, Smirnov served in the executive office of the president.
Prosecutors appear to have also taken a special interest in the payments because the off-shore Paxum Bank has a history of providing banking services for, which makes it higher risk of engaging in money laundering and other illicit financing. Since Orlando, who arranged the $8m financing, is an SEC-licensed broker-dealer, he would be subject to SEC rules governing anti-money laundering and “Know Your Customer” requirements that mandate due diligence of investors to combat the proliferation of illicit money.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Victoria to ask federal government to fund SEC as state sets ambitious target for first projectThe Albanese government will be asked to help fund Victoria’s resurrected SEC, while discussions with major industry super funds have begun.
Read more »
‘Statement of intent’: SA and federal govts sign cooperation agreement to deliver AUKUS subsDefence Minister Richard Marles says he and the South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas have signed a cooperation agreement following the AUKUS announcement on Tuesday. The nuclear submarines Australia will receive under AUKUS will be based on a British design and are set to be built in Adelaide, with the first to be completed in just under two decades, around 2042. “The most important aspect of that is a headline commitment between our two governments to work cooperatively together to deliver this project,” Mr Marles said during a media conference on Wednesday. “It is a profoundly important statement of intent.” Mr Marles assured Australians that they can have the “highest degree of confidence” that the Albanese government and South Australian government are working closely together to deliver the AUKUS submarines for the nation.
Read more »
Federal Reserve clings to hawkish footing after inflation dataBond yields globally recovered lost ground after US inflation data reinforced bets of a small interest rate increase by the Federal Reserve next week.
Read more »
Lineker returned to BBC Match of the Day, social media review announcedThe Former England striker, who has hosted Match of the Day since 1999, came under fire for his social media commentary on the government's asylum seeker policy.
Read more »
Press banned from opening session of new Tunisian parliamentIndependent media barred from building to avoid ‘disorder’, as president tightens autocratic grip
Read more »
Power bills set to rise 23 per cent this yearBREAKING: Electricity bills for hundreds of thousands of Australian households are set to soar by up to 31 per cent this year, even after the federal government’s emergency intervention brought down wholesale prices and avoided larger possible rises.
Read more »