The past year has been full of Russia-related scandal headlines. As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, more and more stories of individuals illegally supporting the Russian regime have emerged. Two separate women, both seemingly ordinary but completely unrelated, were discovered as financial supporters of the Russian government through money laundering activities.

Ekaterina Zhdanova, the owner of the cryptocurrency network Smart, based in Moscow, was the head of the Russian network that laundered money for the UK’s drug gangs. Zhdanova and her team implemented a bank-like system to take dirty street money from drug gangs for a fee. In return, they converted the money into cryptocurrency, shielding it from detection.

The scheme, which started during lockdown and lasted a few years, worked successfully. It helped Zhdanova support the Russian government, particularly its control of the UK-banned- Russia Today media. For these crimes and others, she was sanctioned in November in what the National Crime Agency described as their most significant success against money laundering in a decade.

Another Russian Elite ally whose operations also involved financial support for Russia is Jacqueline Omvlee Troost. She is the wife of a Dutch oil trader, Niels Troost, who has been sanctioned in the UK for continuing oil shipping despite the price cap. Troost’s company, Paramount SA, was charged with selling significant amounts of Russian oil crude post-Putin’s attack and profiting from the conflict between the countries.

After her husband was sanctioned and lost his ability to access some of his bank accounts, he turned to her for assistance. Jacqueline took over some businesses, such as a real- estate investment firm, to illegally transfer money for Troost’s companies without drawing attention. It appears that she also used her skills to help key Russian players evade regulatory oversight. So far, only Niels Troost has faced the consequences, while his wife remained in the shadows and has not yet faced any sanctions.

Both stories share a common theme—they illustrate how the Russian economy has managed to thrive even after Western countries imposed sanctions. Although authorities have had some success in addressing certain money laundering crimes, they often lack the resources needed to achieve full justice, however it may only be just a matter of time.