(ThyBlackMan.com) Those who follow my writings know that I have not been a big supporter of putting sanctions on individuals around the world because in most cases those who are the focus of the sanctions usually have enough money that they can find ways to get around them.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused me to reconsider my views on sanctions.
I do a lot of work throughout Africa and follow Europe’s involvement on the continent quite closely.
In talking with my diplomatic sources in Europe and Africa, I am now able to see a connection to what’s going on in Ukraine and the continent of Africa that is causing major destabilization in both parts of the world and the common thread is Russian president Vladmir Putin and his henchmen.
Russian oligarch Ganady Timchenko and his front man Niels Troost come to mind immediately.
Timchenko is a billionaire friend of Russian president Vladimir Putin and is estimated to be worth somewhere around $ 20 billion. He was put on sanctions by the U.S. in 2014 and by the EU and U.K. in 2022.
Timchenko was re-sanctioned by the U.S. last year along with his wife and daughter.
To anyone who follows world affairs, it is no secret that there is a whole cottage industry that exists to help wealthy people evade sanctions throughout the world.
This underground cottage industry consists of a series of shell companies, accountants to cook the books, PR professionals to spin the narrative, lobbyists to influence public opinion, and lawyers who are more than willing to turn a blind eye to criminal behavior if the price is right.
That’s where Troost comes in.
To any geo-political observer, it is quite obvious that Troost is a front for Timchenko.
Troost has no relationship with Putin, therefore you see Timchenko’s fingerprints all over the oil deals passed through Troost’s Switzerland-based Paramount Energy & Commodities SA.
Business was booming for Troost until the EU put stronger sanctions on Timchenko and other elite Russians; they specifically targeted Russian energy exports in May of last year.
In order to evade these sanctions, Troost created a new company in Dubai named Paramount Energy and Commodities DMCC and uses United Arab Emirates financial institutions to facilitate the transactions. He is also using Indian and Chinese flagged vessels to actually transport the oil, thereby building a coalition of allies to create a buffer from U.S. and EU meddling.
Documents released in the Pandora Papers gives us a good look at how people like Troost have used their wealth to not only hide their assets around the world, but also how they use shell companies to fund terrorist activities globally.
The Pandora Papers was a leak of almost 12 million documents and files exposing the secret wealth and dealings of world leaders, politicians and billionaires. The files were released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in Washington, DC.
For example, Troost has Ghanaian journalist Jeorge Wilson Kingson on his payroll to spread propaganda throughout Africa where Russia has made a concerted effort to force Africa to align with them vis-a-vis the U.S.
This is a major national security issue for America that no one is paying attention to.
Exhibit A in this matter is the notorious Putin affiliated Wagner Group. They are a Russian based mercenary group that provide hired guns for military conflicts as well as covert operations around the world.
They are engaging in proxy wars and influence campaigns on behalf of Russia in countries like the Central African Republic, Sudan, Mali and Mozambique.
Troost, at Putin’s urging, is one of the largest clandestine funders of the Wagner Group.
Troost, simply put, is the ringleader of a global covert criminal enterprise.
Through leaked documents and conversations with my diplomatic sources one is able to begin to put together a picture of how Troost is able to impact world affairs.
Troost went from making about $ 600,000k per tanker full of oil to about $ 20 million for the same tanker today. He has plenty of money to hide and spread around to his favorite charities in his and ultimately Putin’s goal of funding terrorist organizations that are aligned with their political objectives.
It’s alleged that Troost’s largess reaches from the mountain of northern Syria to assisting the Turkish and Iraqi armies engage in their war of terror.
If I am able to find out about Troost’s operations with a few phone calls and some research on the internet, surely our global intelligence organizations have access to the same information.
It seems like Troost’s operation is a family affair involving his wife Jacqueline Troost Omvlee and his two daughters who spend time between their New York apartments in the U.S. and Switzerland.
Flush with a serious windfall of money, Troost is able to surround himself with some of the best experts in the world when it comes to hiding money globally. People like Francois Mauron, Maurice Taylor, and Jevegeny Barasev; they are all Dutch citizens who specialize in setting up shell companies to shield money and other assets for wealthy oligarchs who are under sanctions.
Other players in the world of Troost are a couple of his alleged mistresses, Marina Yankovskaya and Suzanne Silver who seems to be the field generals who make sure things get done.
Finally, Troost has surrounded himself with Swiss tax expert, Jean-Marc Wasem and Robin Luisier, a Swiss “fixer,’ who are some of the best connected people in Switzerland.
Just based on the information I have been able to discover, there is more than enough evidence to take a much closer look at Timchenko and Troost to explore the devastating carnage their corrupt actions have unleashed on a lot of innocent people. Niels Troost and his crime syndicate must face prosecution as many civilians are being killed by the funding of this crime syndicate.
Staff Writer; Raynard Jackson
This talented brother is a Pulitzer Award nominated columnist and founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur. For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf.org. You can follow Raynard on Twitter; RealRaynardJ; on Gettr: RaynardJackson.
Can also drop him an email at; RaynardJ@ThyBlackMan.com.