Russian Tycoon Deripaska Criticizes US Court For Denying His Motion Against Sanctions

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th June, 2021) Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska said on Monday that the US court's decision not to lift sanctions on him was "predictably absurd" and that he would continue defending himself.

Earlier in the day, the US District Court for the District of Columbia denied Deripaska a lawsuit against the US Treasury Department demanding the lifting of US sanctions.

"This is a predictably absurd decision. The court chose to hide behind procedural formalities and ignored the essence of the case, which is that the sanctions unjustly imposed on me and the companies I founded had devastating consequences for hundreds of thousands of people, and all are based on several tabloid articles," Deripaska said in a statement, obtained by Sputnik.

The businessman went on to say that the US legal system, "hypocrite" in nature, is solely interested in promoting the agenda of US politicians.

"But political interests should not be above justice. I will continue to defend both myself and those who against their wills were made pawns in dirty political games," Deripaska said.

Deripaska filed a lawsuit against the US Treasury in March 2019. He said that because of the US sanctions, his fortune had dropped by $7.5 billion. Deripaska also claimed that the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control persecuted him unfairly and illegally.