Prosecutors to drop probe of oligarch
BERLIN (AP) — German prosecutors say they will drop an investigation of Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov over possible breaches of sanctions after he agreed to pay 10 million euros, or about $11.8 million, to the authorities. The billionaire has been a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. Usmanov has faced European Union sanctions imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He had been suspected of transferring funds through foreign companies after that and failing to declare valuables, including jewelry and paintings. Defense lawyers challenged the allegations about his ties to the companies and valuables, and the applicability of EU law.