OK - let's get back to Viktor and his ill-gotten arms deals.
By the way, before we move ahead, I have received some email from readers who ask about my spelling of Viktor But's surname. As I mentioned in a previous post, it is pronounced "boot" as in the shoe. The standard English transliteration of his surname from the Cyrillic is usually "Bout." However, for the sake of convenience, I prefer "But" although the 'u' is to be pronounced as a long 'u' and not a short one. There is seldom any agreement (except among academics) for transliteration from Cyrillic characters to Latin characters, and this is just another example. So, for the purposes of this blog, we will continue to call him Viktor But.
Viktor, in his arms dealing, has to be careful about how and where he places his money. There is no possibility that governments will overlook millions of dollars (if not billions) being placed directly in bank accounts. This will attract too much attention. And so, Viktor But, like so many before him, has to launder his money.
The first step to laundering is to PLACE the money. Although it is not known for certain (at least, not by me), the explanations given in the movie "Lord of War" where the fictitious character of Yuri Orlov is paid in "blood diamonds" probably has some accuracy to it. Remember, one of the easiest ways to place money when laundering it is to buy high value goods such as artwork, planes, real property, gold or diamonds. These instruments can be exchanged for cash and resold and the proceeds placed in the world's banking system. If Viktor is being paid in diamonds to begin with (at least for some of his transactions), this removes one of the steps to placement.
More tomorrow.
By the way, before we move ahead, I have received some email from readers who ask about my spelling of Viktor But's surname. As I mentioned in a previous post, it is pronounced "boot" as in the shoe. The standard English transliteration of his surname from the Cyrillic is usually "Bout." However, for the sake of convenience, I prefer "But" although the 'u' is to be pronounced as a long 'u' and not a short one. There is seldom any agreement (except among academics) for transliteration from Cyrillic characters to Latin characters, and this is just another example. So, for the purposes of this blog, we will continue to call him Viktor But.
Viktor, in his arms dealing, has to be careful about how and where he places his money. There is no possibility that governments will overlook millions of dollars (if not billions) being placed directly in bank accounts. This will attract too much attention. And so, Viktor But, like so many before him, has to launder his money.
The first step to laundering is to PLACE the money. Although it is not known for certain (at least, not by me), the explanations given in the movie "Lord of War" where the fictitious character of Yuri Orlov is paid in "blood diamonds" probably has some accuracy to it. Remember, one of the easiest ways to place money when laundering it is to buy high value goods such as artwork, planes, real property, gold or diamonds. These instruments can be exchanged for cash and resold and the proceeds placed in the world's banking system. If Viktor is being paid in diamonds to begin with (at least for some of his transactions), this removes one of the steps to placement.
More tomorrow.
NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE. IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.
Have a great and fraud-free day.
----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk
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