Investigators Probe Trump Media for Possible Russian Money Laundering

In a breaking development, Trump Media, the parent company of the recently launched Truth Social, is reportedly under federal investigation for possible money laundering activities in connection with two payments totaling $8 million. The payments in question were allegedly made by entities controlled by associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Sources familiar with the investigation indicate that Trump Media received an initial payment of $2 million in December of 2021, at a time when the company was on the brink of collapse. This payment coincided with a period of uncertainty in which a planned merger with a public company had been delayed due to an SEC investigation. This loan also appears to have been approved by the former President’s son, Donald Trump Jr., who was a board member at the time.

Two months later, Trump Media reportedly received a second payment of $6 million from ES Family Trust, as confirmed by a transfer receipt.

Of particular interest to investigators is the fact that one of the payments has been traced to Anton Postolnikov, who appears to have connections to Putin ally Aleksandr Smirnov. The other payment was reportedly traced to another Putin-connected ally through Paxum Bank, an offshore financial institution with a history of serving the adult entertainment and sex worker sectors.

As the investigation continues, prosecutors are said to be closely scrutinizing the circumstances surrounding these payments, which could potentially shed light on illicit financial activities involving Trump Media and its associates.

Source: TheGuardian