Reuters Investigates: Russian elite invested nearly $100 million in Trump buildings
March 17, 2017, 5:44 p.m. GMT
A Reuters review found that at least 63 individuals with Russian passports or addresses have bought at least $98.4 million worth of property in seven Trump-branded luxury towers in southern Florida.
MIAMI/MOSCOW During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald J. Trump downplayed his business ties with Russia. And since taking office as president, he has been even more emphatic.
I can tell you, speaking for myself, I own nothing in Russia, President Trump said at a news conference last month. I have no loans in Russia. I dont have any deals in Russia.
But in the United States, members of the Russian elite have invested in Trump buildings. A Reuters review has found that at least 63 individuals with Russian passports or addresses have bought at least $98.4 million worth of property in seven Trump-branded luxury towers in southern Florida, according to public documents, interviews and corporate records.
The buyers include politically connected businessmen, such as a former executive in a Moscow-based state-run construction firm that works on military and intelligence facilities, the founder of a St. Petersburg investment bank and the co-founder of a conglomerate with interests in banking, property and electronics.
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http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-trump-property/