Oligarch Family’s $3 Billion Feud Highlights Sanctions Gray Area

When Russian chemicals magnate Oleg Burlakov died of Covid, he left behind a $3 billion fortune that prompted an international legal battle among feuding members of his family.

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In one corner stand his sister and brother-in-law, who say they had a secret agreement with Burlakov entitling them to half of what he left behind. In the other: His estranged widow and adult daughters. Their fight over Burlakov’s billions has led to litigation in London, Moscow, Monaco, and Miami.

Now, the Miami case—before a state court judge—has been complicated by the potential involvement of a Russian litigation funder and a Swiss money manager who’s been sanctioned for allegedly facilitating Russian money laundering.

On this episode of our podcast, correspondent Emily Siegel and senior investigative reporter John Holland discuss the wrangling over Burlakov’s estate and what it tells us about how judges in the US are grappling with sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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