Two daughters of Mikhail Fridman, a well-known billionaire who was once among the richest people in Russia, have lost their fight to be removed from Canada’s sanctions list. Laura Fridman and Katia Fridman, both in their late twenties and early thirties, argued in court that they had no connection to their father’s business and had been financially independent for years.
Despite their claims, the Canadian court ruled against them, keeping their names on the list. The court said that sanctions were placed on close family members of influential businessmen to prevent them from helping their relatives hide money or continue their business activities under different names.
Mikhail Fridman, who built a massive business empire including Alfa Bank, supermarkets, and media companies, has been under sanctions since 2022. His daughters and their mother, Olga Ayziman, were added to the list a month later. Olga was later removed, but Laura and Katia were not.
Court Rejects Their Arguments
Laura and Katia Fridman said they had not lived in Russia for decades and had no role in their father’s businesses. They also claimed they strongly opposed the war in Ukraine. In official documents submitted to the court, both women stated they believed Ukraine should be free and independent. Katia even said she hoped Ukraine would one day become part of the European Union.
However, the judge did not seem convinced. He pointed out that they only spoke against the war after they had been sanctioned, which raised doubts about their sincerity. The court also noted that Mikhail Fridman, despite being affected by sanctions, had never publicly spoken against the war or the Russian government.
A key issue in the case was whether the daughters were financially dependent on their father. The court found that they had received money from him before the sanctions were imposed. Katia admitted to receiving money for living expenses and special occasions, while Laura had received significant financial support for rent and education. They claimed they were now independent, but the court did not find enough evidence to prove it.
Sanctions Designed to Prevent Evasion
Canada’s sanctions are part of a larger effort to pressure Russia and those connected to its government. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Canada expanded its sanctions list to include not only wealthy businesspeople but also their close family members.
The reason for this is simple: many powerful individuals try to move money through family members to avoid the impact of sanctions. The Canadian government argued in court that if close relatives were allowed to be removed from the list easily, it would be too simple for wealthy businessmen to keep access to their assets.
Court Upholds Government’s Decision
An expert from the Canadian government, Andreas Weichert, testified that Russian elites have used tactics like transferring money to family members to avoid financial restrictions. The government argued that keeping Laura and Katia Fridman on the sanctions list was necessary to prevent this from happening.
In the end, the court agreed with the government. The judge ruled that Laura and Katia had not provided strong enough proof that they should be removed from the list. Their legal challenge was dismissed, and they will remain sanctioned.
This means they cannot do business in Canada, open bank accounts, or own property there. They also cannot visit the country because of the restrictions. The case highlights how strict Canada’s sanctions are and the challenges faced by family members of those targeted.
More than 2,000 people have been sanctioned by Canada since 2022 as part of efforts to put economic pressure on Russia. Despite their personal statements against the war, Laura and Katia Fridman remain on that list, showing that Canada is unwilling to take risks when it comes to enforcing sanctions.
