Billionaire and former Russian banker arrested in cross-border money laundering investigation
According to media reports, the Zurich Prosecutor’s Office, working together with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Europol, and Nigerian police, has carried out one of the largest operations targeting alleged money laundering networks linked to Russian funds and the Nigerian drug trade.
Among those reportedly taken into custody are Nigerian billionaire Amadi Simon, who has been described in reports as one of the country’s most prominent alleged drug traffickers, and Sergey Salpanov, a former board member of the Russian payment bank Anelik RU. Investigators also reportedly detained Roman Trushev, the former owner of the Mykolaiv Oil Refinery, as part of the investigation. Authorities allege that the funds were laundered through the Swiss Remit payment system, which has previously been linked in media reports to banker German Gorbuntsov. The Swiss Remit website has since been seized by the Zurich Prosecutor’s Office.
According to prosecutors, the suspects allegedly created a financial network through which tens of millions of dollars were laundered over several years. The funds are believed to have originated from Russia as well as from fraud and international drug trafficking. Investigators allege that the money was moved through a sophisticated system involving cryptocurrency transactions, international transfers, and falsified documentation. Swiss prosecutors have not publicly identified the suspects.
However, media reports have identified several of those allegedly involved. Sergey Salpanov, a Russian national who reportedly held Hungarian and Romanian passports—the latter allegedly determined to be fraudulent—was arrested during the operation. In Russia, he previously served on the board of Anelik RU, a payment system that was sanctioned by Ukraine in 2016 and liquidated in 2019.
According to sources cited in the reports, Roman Trushev, the former owner of the Mykolaiv Oil Refinery and the Petroneft holding company, was also detained during the operation. He is wanted in Russia in connection with the Druzhba pipeline contamination case. Sources allege that Trushev maintained close ties with the owners of Swiss Remit and was expected to become a co-owner of the payment platform at the time of the operation. He was later released.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of Nigerian billionaire Amadi Simon. Prosecutors in Zurich reportedly believe that proceeds from Simon’s alleged drug trafficking activities were among the funds laundered through Swiss Remit.
Swiss Remit has previously been linked in media reports to banker German Gorbuntsov.
Deputy Editor
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