A Russian-Swedish man is on the US sanctions list

Zoom in on the screen

The Russian-Swedish businessman accused of espionage, who was recently acquitted in the Stockholm District Court, is now on the US Treasury’s sanctions list, writes Svenska Dagbladet.

The man was charged with three counts of illegal intelligence activities, but was acquitted at the end of October.

The local court ruling established that the man was part of a network that helped the Russian military intelligence service, the GRU, obtain technology from the West that was then brought to Russia. But that was not enough to convict of espionage.

However, the sanctions notice indicates that the United States is conducting a more stringent assessment of the businessman’s activities.

The sanctions list includes several people from Russia, Belgium, Cyprus, Sweden, China and the Netherlands. A former GRU officer is included. The ringleader is said to be a Belgian national who did business with a GRU officer and a Russian-Swedish businessman.

According to the United States, the network aims to provide the Russian army with sensitive high technology. Several companies are also highlighted.

The businessman and his wife were arrested last year when helicopters flew over their villa outside Stockholm and police entered through broken windows.