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15 hours ago
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Finnish authorities have seized a seaside villa owned by sanctioned Russian billionaire Boris Rotenberg in the town of Hanko over unpaid property taxes amounting to several thousand euros, public broadcaster Yle reported Wednesday, citing enforcement registry records.
Rotenberg, a close associate of President Vladimir Putin, has been unable to transfer funds to Finnish bank accounts in recent years due to sanctions restrictions, Yle said.
Similar measures were previously applied to commercial property in Helsinki owned by a company of Rotenberg's over unpaid utility bills exceeding 27,000 euros, Yle reported.
Mikko Mantere, a lawyer representing Rotenberg, told Yle that the seizure of the Helsinki property was lifted after the debt was paid in full.
He added that the situation regarding the Hanko villa is currently "under review" and that the restrictions are expected to be lifted.
The seizure remained in force as of the beginning of this week, Yle said.
Rotenberg’s assets in Finland were frozen following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when he was added to the European Union’s sanctions list.
Under an asset freeze, ownership formally remains with the individual but the property cannot be sold, mortgaged or otherwise disposed of. A seizure is a stricter measure by comparison, as it allows authorities to sell the property and use the proceeds to cover outstanding debts.
Rotenberg moved to Finland in 1991 with his then-wife before returning to St. Petersburg in 1998. He obtained Finnish citizenship in the early 2000s.
Yle reported in 2023 that the citizenship may have been granted without approval from Finland’s security intelligence service.
Forbes placed Rotenberg’s net worth at $1.3 billion as of April 2025.
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