OFAC SANCTIONS MALTA-BASED, RUSSIAN-OWNED AVIATION COMPANY AND ITS BIZJETS IN A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO MALTA'S PRO-RUSSIAN STANCE

 

Emperor Aviation (from its website)

The American financial sanctions regulator OFAC, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, has slapped sanctions upon a large. number of Russian nationals, as well as against EMPEROR AVIATION LTD. (Emperor Avieishn Ltd.) a Russian-owned and controlled business jet charter company based in Malta. Additionally, Emperor's fleet of aircraft, all of which are registered in the Republic of Malta, and therefore carry 9H tail numbers, which then appear to casual observers to be EU aircraft rather than aircraft with Russian owners, have also be designated by OFAC. Details on all these aircraft, including their Serial Numbers, appear at the end of this article. The company's website and contact information only shows its Malta's address; there is no mention of its Russian ownership and control.

Such a registration technique is generally regarded in the global aviation industry as an active scheme to conceal Beneficial Ownership. Emperor aircraft have been used, since the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, to transport individuals known to be Oligarchs to and from countries outside of Russia, most of whom have imposed sweeping sanctions upon Russia, its companies, and its nationals.

Malta, whose ruling Labour Party maintains a pro-Russia posture, whilst claiming neutrality, though approximately one-half of its IIM (Citizenship by Investment) passport sales have been to Russian nationals, giving them EU Schengen Zone visa-free access, is presently politically unstable, since calls for the country's allegedly corrupt Prime Minister, ROBERT ABELA, to resign have surfaced, after his longtime financial relationship with a Russian transportation Oligarch, alleged to have paid bribes, became public knowledge. 

This week's massive OFAC sanctions action, which demonstrates that the United States is paying close attention Russia's influence within Malta, could signal that the small Mediterranean nation's cosy relationship with Russia has come under the microscope of American law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Whether there will be more sanctions of Maltese front companies to follow we cannot predict, but compliance officers at international banks, who are advised to regularly review the Department of Treasury website for updates, may now want to focus on the notices on Russian entities to determine of any more are incorporated or based in Malta.

 ( Taken verbatim from the US Treasury website)

9H-AMN; Aircraft Manufacture Date 2006; Aircraft Model BD-700-1A11; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 9324; Aircraft Tail Number 9H-AMN (aircraft) [RUSSIA-EO14024] (Linked To: EMPEROR AVIATION LTD). 

 
9H-ARK; Aircraft Manufacture Date 2019; Aircraft Model BD-700-1A10; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 60011; Aircraft Tail Number 9H-ARK (aircraft) [RUSSIA-EO14024] (Linked To: EMPEROR AVIATION LTD). 
 
9H-EAA; Aircraft Manufacture Date 2014; Aircraft Model Citation XLS+; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 560-6170; Aircraft Tail Number 9H-EAA (aircraft) [RUSSIA-EO14024] (Linked To: EMPEROR AVIATION LTD). 
 
9H-MAO; Aircraft Manufacture Date 2006; Aircraft Model BD-700-1A10; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 9223; Aircraft Tail Number 9H-MAO (aircraft) [RUSSIA-EO14024] (Linked To: EMPEROR AVIATION LTD). 
 
9H-OKO; Aircraft Manufacture Date 2018; Aircraft Model G650; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 6356; Aircraft Tail Number 9H-OKO (aircraft) [RUSSIA-EO14024] (Linked To: EMPEROR AVIATION LTD). 
 
9H-SIS; Aircraft Manufacture Date 2015; Aircraft Model CL-600-2B16 (604 Variant); Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 6050; Aircraft Tail Number 9H-SIS (aircraft) [RUSSIA-EO14024] (Linked To: EMPEROR AVIATION LTD). 
 
9H-SSK; Aircraft Manufacture Date 2016; Aircraft Model G650; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 6195; Aircraft Tail Number 9H-SSK (aircraft) [RUSSIA-EO14024] (Linked To: EMPEROR AVIATION LTD). 
 
9H-TIO; Aircraft Manufacture Date 2018; Aircraft Model BD-700-1A11; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 9813; Aircraft Tail Number 9H-TIO (aircraft) [RUSSIA-EO14024] (Linked To: EMPEROR AVIATION LTD).