Corruption

Tax your ex: Russia may force former spouses of officials to declare income

In a move aimed at preventing the concealment of property through fake separations, two Communist Party MPs have prepared a motion demanding that former spouses of senior state officials declare their income for five years after divorce.

Vadim Solovyov and Vladimir Pozdnyakov told Izvestia daily that the bill, scheduled to be filed in the State Duma next week, would introduce the notion of a Politically Exposed Person (PEP). They believe this would help Russia to better fulfill its obligations within the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body it joined in 2003 that aims to combat illegal financial practices.