AUSTRALIA SAYS VIKTOR BOUT'S MONEY LAUNDERER HAD 16 ALIASES

Mr. Chichakli at his bond hearing

The Australian Federal Police (AFP), who arrested Richard Ammar Chichakli, the Syrian-American accountant, wanted in the United States, and said to have been Viktor Bout's money launderer, disclosed that Chichakli appears to have used sixteen aliases. The names apparently came up during Chichakli's unsuccessful attempt to be released on bond.

Since Chichakli left the United States, he is known to have lived in Russia, where he acquired a wife, and in the Middle East. The aliases that the AFP has accused him of using are:

(1) Jehad Al Mustafa, the name he was arrested under, and traveled under. He had an Australian driver's license in this name.
(2) Robert Cunning
(3) Raman Cedorov
(4) Andrey Romanov
(5) Ammar M Chichakli, believed to have been his original Syrian name, changed when he entered the United States.
(6) Abdullah Al Subait
Approximately ten other aliases, all of which are different spellings of his legal names, such as Chichalki.

Compliance officers at financial institutions who cater to foreign nationals with Russian and UAE passports may wish to run these names against their current, and inactive, client lists, as you certainly do not want to be banking any Viktor Bout arms profits.