natalia veselnitskaya, lawyer who met trump jr., seen as fearsome moscow insider

by Jenifer Marvin 7 min read

Was the Russian lawyer who met with Trump Jr in touch?

^ a b Greenwood, Max (14 July 2017). "Russian lawyer who met with Trump Jr. was in touch with top Russian prosecutor". The Hill. Retrieved 4 November 2017.

Why did Natalia Veselnitskaya meet with Donald Trump Jr?

Donald Trump Jr. said that Veselnitskaya used the meeting to criticize the Magnitsky Act. Akhmetshin said he met with Veselnitskaya for lunch and she asked him to attend the meeting, which he then did. According to Akhmetshin, Veselnitskaya's translator, Anatoli Samachornov, also attended.

Who is Natalia Veselnitskaya and why was she arrested?

On January 8, 2019, Veselnitskaya was indicted in the United States with obstruction of justice charges for allegedly having attempted to thwart the Justice Department investigation into the money laundering charges against Katsyv.

Who is Natalia Veselnitskaya's translator?

Akhmetshin said he met with Veselnitskaya for lunch and she asked him to attend the meeting, which he then did. According to Akhmetshin, Veselnitskaya's translator, Anatoli Samachornov, also attended. He said Veselnitskaya left a document with Trump Jr.

What did Donald Trump Jr. say about the Magnitsky meeting?

Regarding the meeting, Trump Jr. initially wrote, "I love it" but, in July 2017, said the meeting "was a waste of time". Donald Trump Jr. said that Veselnitskaya used the meeting to criticize the Magnitsky Act.

What is Natalia Veselnitskaya's name?

Natalia Veselnitskaya. In this Eastern Slavic naming convention, the patronymic is Vladimirovna and the family name is Veselnitskaya. Veselnitskaya attends a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Russia in 2016.

Why was Veselnitskaya indicted?

On 8 January 2019, Veselnitskaya was indicted in the United States with obstruction of justice charges for allegedly having attempted to thwart the Justice Department investigation into the money laundering charges against Katsyv.

What did Akmetshin do in the Soviet Union?

From 1986 to 1988, Akmetshin served in the Soviet Army, where he obtained the rank of sergeant and worked in a counterintelligence unit for the KGB. Veselnitskaya's campaign included an unsuccessful attempt in Washington to repeal the Magnitsky Act and to "keep Mr. Magnitsky’s name off the law".

What is the case against Veselnitskaya?

Attorney for the Southern District Court of New York, in connection with a 2015 money laundering case.

Where did Vladimir Veselnitskaya travel?

According to Swiss news sources, a Swiss agent and Russia specialist from the Federal Office of Police, investigating the Prevezon transaction from a Magnitsky Act violation, travelled privately to Moscow in December 2016 with his diplomatic passport, where he met Veselnitskaya.

When did Veselnitskaya graduate from the Moscow State Legal Academy?

Veselnitskaya has said that she graduated with distinction from the Moscow State Legal Academy in 1998. She attests that she was then employed for a period by the prosecutor's office in Moscow Oblast, where she worked on legislation, and claims to have won over 300 legal cases. Veselnitskaya switched to private practice, ...

Who is Denis Katsyv's lawyer?

Veselnitskaya acted as the lawyer for Denis Katsyv, a key figure in the U.S. indictment. The son of a former Moscow regional transport minister, he was sole owner of Prevezon Holdings, which was named in the U.S. indictment alleging that some proceeds from the tax fraud scheme were laundered through the purchase of New York City real estate.

Who is Magnitsky?

Magnitsky was a Russian lawyer and auditor who in 2007 and 2008 uncovered an alleged vast corruption scheme involving about $230 million, according to a federal indictment by the U.S. Southern District of New York in 2013. The alleged tax fraud scheme came at the expense of an investment firm, Hermitage Capital, owned by an American investor, Bill Browder, according to the U.S. indictment.

Did Donald Trump Jr. receive an email?

Donald Trump Jr. reportedly received an email indicating information to be revealed in a meeting with a Russian lawyer was part of a Russian government effort to help his dad's campaign, according to The New York Times.

Overview

Education and career

Veselnitskaya has said that she graduated with distinction from the Moscow State Legal Academy in 1998. She attests that she was then employed for a period by the prosecutor's office in Moscow Oblast, where she worked on legislation, and claims to have won over 300 legal cases. Veselnitskaya switched to private practice, focusing on land deals in the expanding Moscow suburbs.

Advocacy against the Magnitsky Act

In 2009, Sergei Magnitsky, a tax accountant who had accused Moscow law enforcement of stealing $230 million in tax rebates from his client, was beaten to death in jail. In 2012, Magnitsky's client, Bill Browder, secured passage of the American Magnitsky Act, which imposed sanctions on the officials involved. Russian President Vladimir Putin responded with the Dima Yakovlev Law bannin…

Personal life

Veselnitskaya was formerly married to Aleksandr Mitusov (Russian: Александр Митусов), a former deputy transportation minister of the Moscow area while Petr Katsyv, Denis Katsyv's father, was the main director.

U.S. Indictment

In January 2019, Veselnitskaya was charged with one count of obstruction of justice.

See also

• Russian espionage in the United States
• Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections

Background on The Magnitsky Case

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Magnitsky was a Russian lawyer and auditor who in 2007 and 2008 uncovered an alleged vast corruption scheme involving about $230 million, according to a federal indictment by the U.S. Southern District of New York in 2013. The alleged tax fraud scheme came at the expense of an investment firm, Hermitage Capital, owned by …
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The Kremlin and The Magnitsky Fallout

  • The Kremlin retaliated for the Magnitsky Act, in part, by banning U.S. adoptions of Russian children. There are indications that some people involved in the alleged fraud that Magnitsky uncovered are being given cover by the Kremlin. Russia issued an Interpolred notice for Browder, which Interpol later rejected as politically motivated. Magnitsky was put on trial posthumously a…
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Veselnitskaya's Role

  • Veselnitskaya acted as the lawyer for Denis Katsyv, a key figure in the U.S. indictment. The son of a former Moscow regional transport minister, he was sole owner of Prevezon Holdings, which was named in the U.S. indictment alleging that some proceeds from the tax fraud scheme were laundered through the purchase of New York City real estate. The U....
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