My Dearest -Дмитро Васильович Фірташ — I heard about the recent ruling. -updated with MLAT info
After nearly a decade, are we finally inching closer to Firtash’s extradition? Maybe. The recent EU Court ruling certainly appears to be newsworthy. At least for me I have a thing for Firtash…
I make zero apologies for my incessant and at times odd fixation of my “one true Oligarch Love” Dmytro Firtash —to be clear I’m kidding about the one true love snark. I’m married to my one true love. And he’s a good man —who puts up with my various idiosyncrasies. That said as far back as January 21, 2017 I’ve followed the many and I mean many twist and turns in USA v Firtash et al. However for those of you who maybe unaware of the 2014 indictment of Дмитро Васильович Фірташ, see below (and unless otherwise specified the embedded links below are directly from the Department of Justice
April 2014 DOJ-OPA Press Release, which unsealed the indictment of Firtash and a few of his co-conspirators
the original April 2014 Indictment
Related Co-Conspirators
U.S. v. Suren Gevorgyan: Docket No. 13-CR-515 (04/02/2014)
U.S. v. Andras Knopp: Docket No. 13-CR-515 (04/02/2014)
U.S. v. Gajendra Lal: Docket No. 13-CR-515 (04/02/2014)
U.S. v. Periyasamy Sunderalingam: Docket No. 13-CR-515 (04/02/2014)
Background via previously published articles:
Again I make zero apologies for my quasi-obsession with Firtash. This particular criminal case has a permanent murder board in my office. And at some point I’d like to finally dismantle that murder board. With respect to Firtash’s long term attorney client relationship with Lannie Davis. Trust me on this, ignore the prognostications of the screaming goats. Absent actual Court filings I’d put those prognostications into the “disinformation and misinformation” click bait bucket of garbage. Facts should stand on their own and more importantly facts should cut through the nonsensical screaming goats. Yet for some unknown reason folks on Social Media tend to amplify rumors and innuendo. Whereas I tend to gravitate towards facts, generally supported by actual court filings. For Example, see previous articles below:
Dear Dmytro Vasylovych Firtash - I heard about the new FARA filing and I miss you… (April 2021)
Dearest Dmytro Firtash, $251.2M Ukrainian Supreme Court Ruling is final & not appealable… (June 14, 2021)
Dymtro Firtash June 2021 trifecta of bad news. VTB Freeze Order, Sanctions & $281M loan (June 27, 2021)
Firtash had a few things to say about Putin’s War…
Defendant Firtash’s Feb 26, 2022 statement concerning Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war on Ukraine —via his long time US Base Attorney, Lanny Davis. Who issued a blistering statement objecting (in the strongest of terms” a repudiation of Putin’s War on Ukraine. Firtash’s stance isn’t exactly new. In the previous prior years Firtash and Putin often clashed the following statement of Putin’s egregious war. The 26th press release, can be found below:
DMYTRO FIRTASH OPPOSES RUSSIAN INVASION, ASKS TO BE ALLOWED TO RETURN via PR Newswire. As noted in the February 26, 2022;
Dmytro Firtash unequivocally opposes Russia's invasion of his homeland, Ukraine…have Austrian authorities allow him the temporary ability to return to Ukraine to do what he can in the defense of his country. He has told Austrian authorities that he will return to Austria at the end of the Ukrainian emergency or at the request of Austrian authorities. Mr. Firtash simply wishes to return to his homeland to help in its time of crisis.
See the black box and redlined -that’s Firtash requesting to leave Austria and to head back to Ukraine —which is kind of stunning that he’s openly telegraphing his intentions. If you’re asking me on a scale of 0 to 10 —I’m comfortable ruminating that it’s likely a five or six that Austria will grant Firtash’s extraordinary relief. Again that’s speculation on my end and I would encourage you to be skeptical…
MLATs -mutual legal assistance treaties & extradition…
However should Firtash’s request be granted then it’s important to understand that there is a MLAT “en-force” between Ukraine and America, see State Department’s Signed Treaty a-Kiev July 22, 1998 with Annex —important- International Law is not my expertise. And based on the preliminary research, that 1998 MLAT may have terminated —see the State Department’s Notice to Americans arrested in Ukraine;
Ukraine and the United States do not have an extradition treaty. Foreigners who commit serious crimes in Ukraine are, as a rule, tried and sentenced in Ukraine.
However, both countries are signatories to the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. This Convention provides for the transfer of prisoners serving a sentence in one country to their home country if certain conditions are met. Please see the full text of the Convention or consult your attorney for more information.
Again if Austria grants Firtash’s request and is allowed (or not allowed) to return to Ukraine, I doubt the Department of Justice will abandon the nearly decades of extradition filings. With respect to an “en-forced” MLAT -
The USA is party to two multilateral conventions,
the Council of Europe (COE) Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, and
the Inter-American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad.
However keep in mind that you have to read the fine print and most of the language contained herein vis-a-vis individual MLATs —many are particularized to a transfer of a prisoner post sentencing. See Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs website —Firtash has not been sentenced, he hasn’t even been arraigned, so it’s not exactly an apples to apples comparison. Moreover if you read the signed (circa 2005) Treaty between Austria and America, see State Dept link for the USA & Austria MLAT. Also see EU and America MLAT treaties. The point is the treaties with the European Union (of which Austria became a member country of the EU since January 1, 1995 —also see DOJ-OIA’s European Union MLAT (circa 2010) —this is me helping you understand that Austria as a EU member has an obligation to adhere to the Terms and Conditions of the “en-force” MLAT —again Firtash has been largely successful in stalling his extradition and the DOJ prosecutors in Chicago are clearly determined to bring Firtash back home vis-a-vis Conair Flight TBD —but that will only occur after Firtash has exhausted all of his international legal remedies… I mean Firtash’s extradition is so close that one can almost taste the rubber-like chicken served on Con-Air(line)…. Note my snark but I’m kind of super cereal (inside joke)…
On one hand it’s possible Firtash truly wants to return to his motherland and help Ukraine defeat Putin —yet on the other hand Putin has an iron grip on Oligarchs. Putin makes and breaks Oligarchs like you and I brush our teeth. So my opinion is that you should take Firtash’s February 26, 2022 Statement with a huge grain of salt…
For the record I’m not going to subject you to the “jumping down the vaccouis” Blue-QANON rabbit hole. After all, I did give up “nonsensical— deluded” Blue QANON theories for lent. The point is Firtash retained Lanny Davis nearly a decade ago. That in of itself is not unusual. As Firtash is in the elite of the elite. In essence Firtash has a considerable fortune and he’s using that by hiring a “legal gun” — over the years (especially on Twitter) folks tweeted rumors as if they were facts. For Example (again these are other peoples’ rumors, not mine)
Lanny Davis is going to be indicted ←disinformation
Dmytro Firtash was working with Mueller ← disinformation
Dmytro Firtash was an American assess turned ← disinformation
As noted by an ABC affiliate in Chicago even as Putin’s War (Crimes) in the barbaric pounding of Ukraine, Federal Prosecutors in Chicago have renewed their efforts in extradition of Firtash. Who’s currently is holdup in Austria (technically he’s been in Austria for the better part of three years, as he continues to fight
I could be wrong, but Dymtro — did it occur to you that (ironically speaking) you might be actually safer being in the custody of the U.S. Attorney General, and then transfer to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service. Because you’re Febrile 26, 2022 “statement” might be the final crack that makes Putin turn on you and likely those you hold near and dear just might land in Putin’s murderous crosshairs. The fact is America has an extradition treaty (see 2019 State Departments treaty en-force) but as previously noted Firtash has spent years and likely millions of dollars fighting his extradition. Only time will tell —as of publication and with repeated searches (European Court of Justice and/or the Austria’s Supreme Court) I have yet to find the “recent ruling” but as soon as I do, I’ll update you. Since the local Chicago ABC affiliate did not include a link to the purported recent ruling —I do think it’s appropriate to remain skeptical—that is until I locate and actually read the purported new ruling.
Unfortunately, I now have to get back to my bonbons, which includes reading more than 3K emails that I was not allowed to review during my jury service. And lastly your daily saltwater therapy
Be Well -Filey
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Very interesting. You're right. If he is truly above board with wanting to help Ukraine, then he should come here.
Have a great day!