Puy du Fou Kept Ties to Sanctioned Russian Entities Until August 2015
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 2
Puy du Fou Kept Ties to Sanctioned Russian Entities Until August 2015
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 2
Summary
Documents reviewed by the Guardian show Puy du Fou maintained contacts tied to Konstantin Malofeyev until at least August 2015, contradicting the French theme-park group's claim it began winding down the partnership after EU sanctions hit in July 2014.
September 2014 internal papers outlined ways to keep the Tsargrad park project alive, including rouble accounts to “avoid probable effect of sanctions” and structures that could still channel funding and dividends involving Malofeyev associates.
A 23.5 million-rouble 2015 budget covered casting, rentals and other project costs, while correspondence shows Puy du Fou discussing invoices with Yury Leonov of Marshall Capital and copying Malofeyev associate Oleg Ochinsky into July-August 2015 emails.
Sanctions lawyer Michael Ruck said the records raise compliance questions because EU restrictions apply immediately unless a specific licence allows a wind-down; Puy du Fou declined to say whether it had such a licence.
The disclosures come as Puy du Fou nears expected approval for a £600 million Oxfordshire park and revive scrutiny of its broader dealings with authoritarian states, including outreach to Iran and script approvals for a Shanghai show.