FBI Seeks Vladislav Osipov as State Department Offers Reward of Up to $1 Million
Swiss Asset Manager Wanted in Federal Sanctions, Money Laundering and Bank Fraud Case
Vladislav Osipov is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on federal charges involving bank fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The case centers on his involvement in the operation of the 255-foot luxury superyacht Tango, which the U.S. Department of Justice identifies as being owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Osipov remains at large and is considered an international flight risk by the FBI.
The United States Department of State's Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to Osipov's arrest and/or conviction. The FBI says Osipov has ties to or may visit Herrliberg, Switzerland; Majorca, Spain; and Moscow, Russia. His case is being handled by the FBI's Minneapolis Field Office.
The Superyacht at the Center of the Case
The federal case against Osipov is closely connected to the Motor Yacht Tango, a 255-foot luxury superyacht registered in the Cook Islands. Federal prosecutors identify the vessel as belonging to Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch who has been sanctioned by the United States. The yacht became the focus of an extensive investigation into whether individuals working on Vekselberg's behalf used the American financial system and American companies despite sanctions restrictions.
Vekselberg was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2018, placing restrictions on his access to property and the American financial system. Federal prosecutors say Osipov and others nevertheless facilitated the continued operation of the Tango and attempted to conceal Vekselberg's involvement with the vessel. The government maintains that the activity involved financial transactions and services that violated U.S. sanctions.
The Tango would later become particularly significant in the American government's campaign to seize assets connected to sanctioned Russian oligarchs. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States intensified efforts to identify and restrain assets belonging to sanctioned individuals. The Tango became the first superyacht belonging to a sanctioned individual with close ties to the Russian government to be seized at the request of the United States following the invasion.
Operating a Luxury Yacht Under U.S. Sanctions
Federal prosecutors say Osipov and a co-conspirator facilitated the operation of the Tango despite the sanctions imposed against Vekselberg. The alleged activity involved the use of American companies and the United States financial system to support the vessel's continued operation. Authorities say efforts were made to obscure Vekselberg's connection to the yacht when conducting transactions.
Operating a superyacht of the Tango's size requires an extensive network of services and financial transactions. Luxury vessels require maintenance, supplies, crew services, insurance, docking arrangements, communications, and other operational support. When the beneficial owner of such an asset is sanctioned, businesses and financial institutions subject to American law can face significant restrictions on providing services or processing transactions connected to that individual.
The federal case focuses on allegations that Osipov helped circumvent those restrictions. Prosecutors contend that financial arrangements were structured in ways intended to hide the connection between transactions involving the Tango and Vekselberg. Those activities eventually resulted in charges involving sanctions violations, money laundering, conspiracy, and bank fraud.
Five Bank Fraud Charges Added
Osipov was initially indicted in November 2022 on multiple federal charges connected to the operation of the Tango. Those charges included conspiracy to defraud the United States, violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and money laundering. He remained outside United States custody as the federal investigation continued.
In February 2024, prosecutors unsealed a superseding indictment adding five counts of bank fraud against Osipov. The expanded indictment brought the total number of charges against him to 17. Federal prosecutors also sought the forfeiture of the Tango and fees, payments, and other money derived from services performed on behalf of the vessel.
The bank fraud charges significantly expanded the criminal case already pending against Osipov. Bank fraud can carry a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in federal prison, while certain sanctions and money laundering offenses can carry maximum sentences of 20 years. Any actual sentence would depend on a conviction and ultimately be determined by a federal judge.
Concealing the Yacht's Connection to Vekselberg
A central issue in the government's case is the allegation that the people responsible for operating the Tango attempted to conceal its connection to Viktor Vekselberg. Sanctions restrictions can prevent American financial institutions and businesses from processing transactions involving blocked individuals or their property. Hiding the true person behind a transaction can therefore allow payments to pass through institutions that might otherwise reject them.
Federal prosecutors say Osipov and his co-conspirator used U.S. companies and the American financial system while attempting to obscure Vekselberg's involvement in the yacht. The alleged conduct occurred despite sanctions having already been imposed against Vekselberg. The government contends that this allowed the Tango to continue receiving services and operating despite restrictions intended to isolate sanctioned assets.
The case demonstrates how sanctions enforcement can extend beyond the sanctioned individual. Asset managers, financial intermediaries, corporate service providers, and others who knowingly facilitate prohibited transactions can themselves become subjects of federal investigations. Authorities have increasingly focused on the networks that allow sanctioned individuals to maintain valuable assets and conduct financial activity internationally.
The Tango Seized in Spain
The Tango was seized by Spanish authorities in April 2022 following a request from the United States. The operation took place in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and involved cooperation between Spanish authorities and American investigators. The seizure represented a major early action by the Justice Department's Task Force KleptoCapture.
The yacht's seizure came shortly after Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered an expanded international sanctions campaign. Governments in the United States and Europe began identifying yachts, aircraft, real estate, financial accounts, and other valuable property connected to sanctioned Russian individuals. Luxury yachts became particularly visible symbols of the effort because of their enormous value and ability to travel between international jurisdictions.
The Tango was especially significant because it was the first superyacht seized by the United States under a court order following the invasion. Its seizure demonstrated that American authorities were willing to pursue assets outside U.S. territory when investigators believed the property was connected to sanctions violations. The investigation into the people responsible for maintaining and operating the yacht continued after the vessel itself was taken into custody.
A Case Connected to Task Force KleptoCapture
The prosecution of Osipov became part of the work of Task Force KleptoCapture, a Justice Department initiative established in 2022 to enforce sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures imposed in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The task force brought together prosecutors, investigators, and other federal specialists to identify assets and financial networks connected to sanctioned Russian individuals. Cases could involve money laundering, sanctions evasion, asset forfeiture, false statements, bank fraud, and other federal offenses.
The Tango investigation became one of the task force's most prominent early cases because it combined sanctions enforcement with the seizure of an exceptionally valuable physical asset. Investigators examined not only ownership of the yacht but also the companies, financial transactions, and individuals responsible for keeping it operational. Osipov's alleged role as an asset manager placed him within that broader investigation.
Federal authorities subsequently expanded the prosecution as additional evidence was developed. By February 2024, prosecutors had added the five bank fraud charges and publicly announced the State Department's $1 million reward. Osipov remained outside federal custody as those additional charges were unsealed.
$1 Million Reward for Information
The United States Department of State is offering up to $1 million for information leading to Osipov's arrest and/or conviction. The reward is being offered through the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program, which is designed to support law-enforcement efforts against significant transnational criminal activity. The size of the reward reflects the international nature of the search and the government's continuing effort to locate him.
Osipov has connections across several European and international locations, creating a fugitive investigation that extends far beyond the United States. The FBI says he has ties to or may visit Herrliberg in Switzerland, Majorca in Spain, and Moscow in Russia. Those locations also reflect the international dimensions of the underlying investigation involving the Tango.
The FBI specifically describes Osipov as an international flight risk. His ability to operate internationally, combined with his professional background and connections outside the United States, makes information concerning his current location particularly important to investigators. The FBI has released photographs and wanted posters in several languages to assist with identifying him internationally.
Who Is Vladislav Osipov?
Vladislav Osipov was born on October 19, 1971, in Moscow, Russia. The FBI describes him as approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 155 pounds, with gray hair and hazel eyes. His occupation is listed as asset manager, and the FBI identifies his citizenship as Swiss.
Osipov speaks English, German, and Russian, according to his federal wanted profile. Those language skills and his international professional background are consistent with the multinational nature of the financial and asset-management activities at the center of the investigation. The FBI has distributed wanted materials in multiple languages to broaden awareness of the search outside the United States.
His ties to Herrliberg, Majorca, and Moscow provide investigators with several geographic areas of interest. Herrliberg is located near Zurich, while Majorca is the Spanish island where the Tango was seized in 2022. Moscow is Osipov's birthplace and another location identified by the FBI in connection with him.
Money Laundering and Sanctions Charges
Osipov's federal charges extend beyond conventional bank fraud. He is also charged with money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit offenses against the United States, and violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The combination of charges reflects the government's position that the financial activity surrounding the Tango was part of a broader effort to circumvent American sanctions.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act provides the United States government with significant authority to regulate financial transactions and property during declared national emergencies involving foreign threats. Sanctions programs administered under that authority can block property and prohibit certain transactions involving designated individuals. Knowingly participating in prohibited transactions can result in serious federal criminal charges.
Money laundering charges can also arise when financial transactions are structured or conducted in connection with unlawful activity. In the Osipov prosecution, federal investigators examined the financial network surrounding the operation of the Tango and the methods allegedly used to conceal the yacht's connection to its sanctioned owner. The resulting case ultimately produced a 17-count superseding indictment.
International Search Continues
Osipov remains outside federal custody and continues to appear on the FBI's Most Wanted white-collar crime list. The outstanding federal warrant allows authorities to seek his arrest in connection with the charges pending in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Any international arrest would depend on his location and the legal procedures applicable in the jurisdiction where he is found.
The FBI's Minneapolis Field Office is responsible for the wanted notice and has provided several methods for individuals to submit information. Because the investigation is international, the bureau has also directed people outside the United States to American embassies and consulates. Information concerning travel, residences, business relationships, or other details that could establish Osipov's location may be significant to investigators.
Members of the public should not attempt to confront, follow, detain, or apprehend Osipov. Information concerning his whereabouts should instead be provided directly to appropriate law-enforcement authorities. The State Department's reward of up to $1 million remains available for qualifying information leading to his arrest and/or conviction.
Osipov Remains Wanted
Vladislav Osipov remains wanted on federal charges involving bank fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The case centers on allegations that he helped facilitate the operation of the Tango superyacht while attempting to obscure its connection to sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Federal prosecutors have charged Osipov with 17 counts, and the FBI continues to consider him an international flight risk.
The State Department continues to offer a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction. The FBI identifies Herrliberg, Switzerland; Majorca, Spain; and Moscow, Russia, as locations to which Osipov has ties or may travel. Anyone with information concerning his whereabouts should provide it directly to law enforcement rather than attempting to approach him.
