Russia’s sanctions-evasion network exposed: Moscow firm A7 uses shell companies and crypto

A Moscow-based financial firm, A7, has orchestrated thousands of sanctions-evasion schemes using shell companies, cryptocurrency, and forged documents to help Russia bypass Western financial restrictions, according to leaked internal documents analyzed by The New York Times. The firm, founded by Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor, brokered over $500 million in prohibited transactions in early 2025, including $130 million for military-related goods. A7 uses shell companies across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and an AI-powered app to falsify trade records, deceiving banks and regulators. Western efforts to curb A7 have been inconsistent, with the Trump administration removing more sanctions than it added. The company remains resilient, creating new shell companies when existing ones are shut down, symbolized by its "nevalyashka" mascot that rights itself when pushed over.