Corruption

U.S. Official Accuses Putin of Corruption

Adam Szubin, the Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the U.S. Treasury accused President Vladimir Putin of corruption in an interview with the BBC on Monday.

“Putin is corrupt and the U.S. government has known this for many, many years,” Szubin told the BBC Panorama program.

“We've seen him enriching his friends, his close allies, and marginalizing those using state assets that he doesn't view as friends. Whether that's Russia's energy wealth or other state contracts, he directs them to people he believes will serve him and excludes those who don't. To me, that is a picture of corruption,” the U.S. Treasury official was quoted by the BBC as saying.

This is the first time US officials have directly accused Putin of corruption, the BBC noted.