The Department of Justice has asked Congress to expand its authority to give proceeds from seized Russian assets to Ukraine.
The U.S. is “leaving a lot of money on the table,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
“The millions we are seizing and forfeiting because of export control violations, we can’t transfer those proceeds to Ukraine,” Monaco continued. “There are measures of accountability to make sure that those assets get transferred.”
Under current law, federal officials are only able to utilize money seized in specific instances in which individuals illegally evade U.S. sanctions.
Numerous assets allegedly tied to Russian oligarchs and those supporting Russia, including luxury yachts, jets, and mansions, have been seized by Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement unit dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the U.S. and allies imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to the DOJ, a total of $500 million in Russian assets have been targeted and more than 30 individuals have been charged so far.
In December, Congress passed a law directing the State Department to allocate certain proceeds from these seized assets to go to the benefit of Ukraine.
Monaco on Wednesday asked Congress to broaden the government’s forfeiture authority to include those who violate trade laws known as export controls. This would bring laws governing certain technology, like radar, drones and satellite sensors, under the asset seizure law. Just this week, the DOJ accused a building materials company president of illegally engaging in $150 million in trade with sanctioned Russians.
Along with expanding the assets seizure guidance, Monaco asked Congress to give the DOJ authority to prosecute certain crimes against humanity. A legal loophole in the current law leaves certain atrocities not covered by war crimes or genocide statutes.
She also asked Congress to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism—even though the State Department, which has authority over such designations, and President Biden do not favor the move.
A bill calling on the State Department to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism passed in the Senate last year.
Monaco’s testimony came just days after Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said his nation and the U.S. were woking to “deprive” Russia of the resources necessary to finance its war.
