Grizzly Research accuses Raiffeisen of sanction breaches and hidden Russian exposure
Short-seller Grizzly Research claims Raiffeisen Bank International concealed transactions that support Russia's war effort and may have facilitated money flows to Iran and North Korea.
Siegfried Eggert, head of the U.S. short-seller Grizzly Research, alleges that Raiffeisen Bank International concealed a substantial volume of Russian-related transactions, including those that could support the Russian war machine. He says the bank has over six billion euros locked in Russia and that its Russian subsidiary is tied to more than twelve billion dollars of capital that may be unrecoverable. Eggert also claims the bank facilitated illicit fund movements to Iran and North Korea, based on information gathered by private investigators fluent in Russian.
The firm has approached regulators with its data but stresses that it cannot verify every element of its report. Raiffeisen has denied the accusations and indicated it may pursue legal action against Grizzly Research.
Why it matters
The allegations raise concerns about a major European bank potentially breaching sanctions and financing conflict zones.
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