New York lawyer pleads guilty to laundering money for Russian oligarch

A New York lawyer has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to launder millions of dollars for a sanctioned billionaire Russian oligarch, and now faces a prison sentence of up to five years.

Robert Wise, the lawyer, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit international money laundering, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday. He was accused of helping pay to maintain a number of properties in the U.S. for Viktor Vekselberg, the sanctioned oligarch with a net worth of nearly $7 billion.

Wise was accused of helping maintain six properties in the U.S. for Vekselberg — two apartments in New York City, an estate in New York state and three apartments in Florida — which the DOJ said were valued at around $75 million. From 2009 to 2018, Wise is accused of receiving around $18.5 million from shell companies owned by Vekselberg to pay for the property taxes, insurance fees and other costs associated with the properties.

Vekselberg was sanctioned by the federal government in 2018 and again in 2022, blocking his assets from the U.S., including his yacht and his private jet. Even after being sanctioned, Wise is accused of receiving $3.8 million from the oligarch, getting the money from bank accounts connected to Vladimir Voronchenko, a fugitive who was charged as a co-conspirator.

As part of the plea, Wise agreed to forfeit $3.8 million and pay an extra $210,000. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 6.

Vekselberg, a Ukrainian-born aluminum baron, had his yacht seized by Spanish police and the FBI last April. Due to the sanctions placed on him, he has $1.5 billion worth of assets frozen in U.S. and Swiss banks, according to Forbes.