Reserach: Russian oligarchs whitewash illegal income in London

LONDON, Jul 21 (PRIME) -- Russian oligarchs and businessmen use the U.K. visa system to whitewash illegal income in London and they promote Russia's state interests, according to a statement by the intelligence committee of the British parliament, seen by PRIME on Tuesday.

London has become a favorite place for Russian businessmen since 1994, when the investment visa was introduced. The advent of Russian money has led to an increase of entities promoting the interests of Russian elites, the report read.

"In brief, Russian influence in the U.K. is the new normal, and there are a lot of Russians with very close links to (President Vladimir) Putin who are well integrated into the U.K. business and social scene and accepted because of their wealth," the authority said.

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