The U.S. Justice Department is taking steps to confiscate $200 million from former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko, with the intention of returning the funds to Ukraine.
Mary Butler, a senior official at the department, discussed the ongoing effort in an interview with Voice of America published on August 5, as reported by The Kyiv Times.
Pavlo Lazarenko served as Ukraine's prime minister from 1996 to 1997.
After fleeing Ukraine in 1999, he was arrested in the United States and later sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of money laundering. In addition to the prison sentence, Lazarenko faced a fine and the confiscation of assets.
Since his release in 2012, Lazarenko has reportedly obtained the right to reside in the U.S., where he continues to live while the legal proceedings continue.
The ongoing case involves the potential confiscation of over $200 million seized in various countries. Legal battles related to these assets have been ongoing for nearly 20 years.
Mary Butler noted that while the charges for which Lazarenko was convicted were narrower than those initially brought by the U.S. Justice Department, the case is progressing.
"The case is still not over, but I am pleased to announce that we have reached another decision that brings us closer to the possibility of obtaining a final decision on confiscation. Then Mr. Lazarenko can appeal as much as he wants. But we are still moving forward," Butler said.
Lazarenko was ranked eighth on Transparency International’s 2004 list of the top 10 most corrupt political leaders.
