Russian oligarch arrested in London said to be Jewish billionaire Mikhail Fridman

A Russian businessman arrested in London is identified by Russian state media as Mikhail Fridman, who also holds Israeli citizenship.

A statement from the UK’s National Crime Agency — which didn’t name Fridman — says he is suspected of money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the Home Office and conspiracy to commit perjury.

Two other people were arrested in connection. All three have since been freed on bail.

Russia’s TASS quotes a source close to Fridman saying he “was detained on suspicion of violating sanctions imposed on him,” without elaborating.

Fridman, who along with other Kremlin-linked Russian oligarchs was hit with Western sanctions after Russia invaded Ukraine, has provided backing for Jewish causes, was a co-founder of the Genesis Philanthropy Group, and helped establish the Genesis Prize, an annual award dubbed the “Jewish Nobel.”

He and two other sanctioned Russian billionaires resigned from the group’s board earlier this year due to the sanctions.