Kolomoiskyi bought factories and real estate in the US with Privatbank money, investigation says

From 2006 to 2016, Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoiskyi and his partners took over 13 steel plants in various regions of the United States, which they bought with funds illegally withdrawn from PrivatBank.

According to Hromadske, it's stated in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette investigation, conducted based on court documents, reports of federal investigative bodies, conversations with employees of numerous enterprises, and so on.

In particular, Kolomoiskyi took over the Warren Steel Holdings LLC steel plant in Ohio, which is now one of the key objects being investigated by the US Department of Justice.

The oligarch also bought five office skyscrapers in downtown Cleveland, two office parks, a prestigious 484-room hotel overlooking the waterfront, and a Motorola factory with closed shutters and two heliports.

Journalists point out that explosions and some security breaches in factories indicate the impact of financial crimes, such as money laundering, on ordinary workers.

In particular, they mention the explosion in 2010, when miller Brian Schaffer was seriously injured at one of the factories. The injury resulted in three back surgeries and four neck surgeries, and he's now disabled.

Investigators write federal security inspectors found serious violations at the facility, while state environmental experts pointed to significant problems with hazardous waste that remained there for years.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that Kolomoiskyi's actions are being investigated by the US Department of Justice and Ukrainian law enforcement.