ROLC Director Joel Samuels was quoted in a front-page article of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The story covers an FBI and IRS raid of Optima Management Group as part of a long-standing investigation against Igor Kolomoisky, a Ukrainian oligarch accused of laundering millions of dollars through Cleveland real estate. According to a 2019 lawsuit, Kolomoisky is also accused of using properties in Texas and Illinois to launder money.

Samuels, an international law professor and expert in post-Soviet rule of law issues, notes the U.S. government’s increased commitment to investigate money laundering from both the former Soviet Union and other countries. Combatting fraud and corruption is a key strategy to advance rule of law globally.

Read the article here.