'Putin is corrupt' says US Treasury

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

'Putin is corrupt' says US Treasury

25 January 2016 Europe

The US Treasury has told a BBC investigation that it considers Russian President Vladimir Putin to be corrupt.

The US government has already imposed sanctions on Mr Putin's aides, but it is thought to be the first time it has directly accused him of corruption.

His spokesman told the BBC that "none of these questions or issues needs to be answered, as they are pure fiction".

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Adam Szubin, who oversees US Treasury sanctions, has told BBC Panorama that the Russian president is corrupt and that the US government has known this for "many, many years".

He said: "We've seen him enriching his friends, his close allies, and marginalising those who he doesn't view as friends using state assets. Whether that's Russia's energy wealth, whether it's other state contracts, he directs those to whom he believes will serve him and excludes those who don't. To me, that is a picture of corruption."

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Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35385445

[tazkcmo]

1. And they should know corrupt. n/t

[Wilms]

2. Can't imagine it happening here.

"We've seen him enriching his friends, his close allies, and marginalising those who he doesn't view as friends using state assets.

[jakeXT]

7. It's called free market capitalism over here

[katsy]

3. Pot meet kettle

How about we clean our own house before throwing stones.

[truebluegreen]

4. This makes as much sense as

the US sniveling about other countries' human rights violations while torturing our own prisoners (or doing renditions)(or murdering US citizens w/0 due process)(or spying on f@cking everyone)(...). Hello?

[bemildred]

5. Let Kerry handle the diplomacy Adam, you aren't very good at it. nt

[polly7]

6. Well that takes some gall .... nt.

[MisterP]

8. is this like when "Parade" said Castro was worth $212B because that was what Cuba's GDP was?

[bemildred]

10. They will do or say anything to get him. It is infantile and pathetic.

Reminds me of the Snowden fiasco. Masters of the Universe and no clue at all about their own business.

I guess when you think you are a Master of the Universe it becomes difficult to admit you are just Joe Blow down the street after all.

Speaking of that, I suppose giving Snowden asylum did little for his image with them either, I was a bit surprised he did that, I thought there was a good chance at the time he would throw them the bone. But nope.