Are British Bankers Courting Russian Oligarchs, Criminals?

British banking has welcomed President Vladimir Putin’s judo partners, Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, via a loophole in its transparency laws, an investigation revealed. English Limited Partnerships (ELPs) allow anyone to launch a company in the U.K., without requiring any identification of the owner. “It’s a scandal that people like the Rotenbergs who have been sanctioned in America for years have still been able to use British corporate structures to bring their money out of Russia … and then spend it at will,” said U.K. lawmaker Margaret Hodge. The investigation also found ELPs were linked to money laundering, terrorism and fraud. (Source: BBC)