In France, a luxurious villa allegedly linked to Gazprom has been seized, marking the largest confiscation of Russian property in the country since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine.
Le Monde reported the development.
According to the investigation conducted by the editorial office, numerous pieces of evidence indicate Gazprom's permanent presence. The villa, spanning three hectares in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, is allegedly linked to the Russian state-owned company Gazprom.
The French Department of Financial Investigations also uncovered several documents indicating that the villa never left the control of Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of Gazprom. Although theoretically, the property was sold to Karapetyan in January 2015, a credit was granted by a Russian bank, with the villa serving as collateral.
Documents reveal that Karapetyan purchased shares in the company owning the villa from Gazprom Neft thanks to a €115 million loan from Gazprombank, owned by Gazprom and Yuriy Kovalchuk, a close associate of Vladimir Putin.
The villa is estimated to be worth €120 million and features a multi-story main building, three pools, a tennis court, and a helipad.
The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed the seizure in favor of the Agency for the Management and Return of Seized and Confiscated Assets. The National Court for Combating Organized Crime initiated a preliminary investigation into money laundering.
Until the investigation is concluded, the property's seizure prohibits any transactions, and after a verdict, the villa could be confiscated and put up for auction.
