German officials seize apartments of Russian lawmaker, wife under EU sanctions

The seizure was ordered last week and took effect on Monday, prosecutors said.

German prosecutors said Monday that they have seized three apartments and a bank account owned by a Russian lawmaker and his wife under European Union sanctions imposed because of the invasion of Ukraine.

German officials seize apartments of Russian lawmaker, wife under EU sanctions | Representational image (AFP)

Prosecutors in Munich said the Duma lawmaker and his wife — identified only as L. and K. respectively in line with German privacy rules — jointly own two of the apartments in the Bavarian city, and continued to earn money from rent on the properties in violation of sanctions.

They said the wife, who is registered as a resident in Munich, also is the sole owner of a third Munich apartment on which she continued to collect rent. That means both are suspected of violating Germany's foreign trade law.

The seizure was ordered last week and took effect on Monday, prosecutors said. The people living in the apartments are allowed to stay, but they're no longer allowed to pay rent to the lawmaker and his wife; payments must be deposited with the Munich district court.

The bank account that was seized receives monthly rental payments of around 3,500 euros ($3,670), according to prosecutors.