Kremlin-linked forgery network moved $6.9bn via global banks, FT leak reveals

A leaked dataset from fintech A7 reveals thousands of Russian payments routed through Standard Chartered, Citigroup, and other international banks, totaling $6.9bn, allegedly part of a Kremlin-backed forgery scheme. The leak exposes potential sanctions evasion and money laundering on a significant scale, though the full extent of bank complicity remains unclear. This development could trigger regulatory scrutiny and diplomatic fallout, impacting Western financial institutions' exposure to Russian-linked flows.