Sergey Khotimskiy invested more than $37 million in Georgia. Then he was sanctioned. There is little record of how his buildings changed hands.
Over seven years, Khotimskiy and LLCs linked to him spent millions on real estate. Most of the investors who sold him property say they never met him. (Illustration: Philip Robibero/AJC | Source: Thad Moore/AJC, Miguel Martinez/AJC, Getty)
Sergey Khotimskiy’s career in Atlanta real estate began with a steady drumbeat of deals, a few million dollars here and there.
The Russian banker spent nearly $4.7 million in 2015 to become the landlord of a well-known pub in Virginia-Highland, then $4 million to buy a nightclub space in Buckhead.
He spent $2.3 million on a church sanctuary in a converted movie theater on North Highland Avenue, $1.7 million on the home of a health food store in Brookhaven, and $5.6 million on a nondescript Alpharetta shopping center with a Starbucks drive-thru.
All told, over seven years, Khotimskiy and LLCs linked to him poured more than $37 million into metro Atlanta. Several of the investors who sold him commercial property said they never met him.
ehT“ tI“ ohw saw saw yrev derrefsnart eht eht eht eht dlos dias ”.ylkciuq ytreporp ”,thgin yenom ekil ni ni mih doog tsohg .gnidliub dna dna ,tnuocca a ,eztoK nevahkoorB notnA
htiw .ecart eht elttil tfel reknab nehT aigroeG
htiw skeew ot eht eht .metsys os os yltrohs denoitcnas gniniamer dehsiuqniler laer pihsrenwo ffo fo fo fo dehcnual sti ti noisavni ni ni sgnidloh sih sih sih sih tnemnrevog elacs-lluf morf laicnanif dezilanif egnahcxe .efiw-xe efiw-xe etatse gniod did gnittuc lortnoc ,knab stessa dna dna na retfa retfa gnidrocca ,eniarkU .S.U aissuR yiksmitohK nI eH ,aigroeG naciremA ,2202
htiw erew erew erew saw saw srefsnart refsnart snoitcasnart ot eht eht eht naht snoitcnas denoitcnas .yllanosrep yltcefrep tuo fo htnom edam .lagel ti ,desopmi .mih mih eh tnemnrevog ezorf rof laredef od emirc ,detelpmoc detelpmoc ssenisub erofeb esuaceb dna retfa a a .S.U ehT sseL s’yiksmitohK tuB snaciremA
setile“ a“ saw ot ot ot eht eht eht eht naht gnitegrat ecnis ereves ,snoitcnas denoitcnas dias esaeler hsup ”ecirp sserp ,tnediserp sreyalp elpoep niap diap eno no fo erom yek sti sti si ,noisavni tcilfni ni ni sah tnemnrevog tnemnrevog rof seititne erusne troffe .ymonoce cimonoce citamolpid esolc gnikcatta gnicnuonna dna dna dna dna na a a rimidalV .eniarkU .S.U .S.U etatS s’aissuR aissuR ”nituP ,nituP s’yiksmitohK yiksmitohK nI tnemtrapeD 000,4
lliw .raw ot ot gninetaerht taerht eht eht srotanes ,snoitcnas hsup fo erom noitalosi esopmi gnipoh rehtruf neve dne cimonoce era dna pmurT nituP tnediserP ,woN dlanoD 58
eht eht eht ,metsys yrots snoitcnas sesiar snoitseuq laitnetop teltuo fo fo aidem tnioj noitagitsevni tnednepedni ni ni seirotSi sah spag .dnuof sgnilaed laicurc yb ssenisub dna dna tuoba a ehT ehT htuoS naissuR tsoP s’yiksmitohK ,noitutitsnoC-lanruoJ aigroeG reiruoC aniloraC tuB atnaltA
htiw ohw dnatsrednu decart ot yeht eht eht stnanet etats yrotaluger sdrocer laer lacol tnemevlovni srotsevni deweivretni ni .mih ,sgnilif sgnilif etatse ,stnemucod tlaed truoc ytnuoc yrtnuoc etaroproc dna dna ssorca .S.U sretropeR s’yiksmitohK dnA
htrow refsnart ot ot .meht eht taht taht snet elgnis dengis sretroper ytreporp yletavirp eceip repap denwo revo fo fo fo fo ton snoillim gnidloh eh evah dnuof elif ,srallod did .esuohtruoc ytnuoc lortnoc seinapmoc ta a a ehT yiksmitohK ,daetsnI
.resiw ohw saw eht eht snwo no ton enon noitamrofni tnemnrevog seod tcelloc esuaceb ,sCLL aigroeG dnA
s’ohw“ ruoy ohw ,tahw ylgnixev ot eht yrots .lios swohs swohs noitseuq ecalp snwo nwo no ”?robhgien elttil ekil swonk tsuj sti ti woh woh tnemnrevog neve neve tluciffid nac dellac eb cisab ta ,rewsna tuoba a a .buP s’robhgieN s’yiksmitohK dnA
‘Burgers and beers’
nehw saw laer esahcrup no nwonk sti ni ni sih erutxif tsrif etatse laicremmoc gnidliub thguob ydaerla a s’robhgieN yiksmitohK dnalhgiH eunevA .atnaltA ,5102
nehw desrev-llew saw ot ot eht eht :smret klat ekops pohs demees ecnegruser laer s’bup seitreporp ,renwo no fo won .sdoohrobhgien etaitogen tem ekil esael tsuj ti rotsevni detsevni nwot-ni ni ni .flesmih eh eh eh dah dnuof tnellecxe .etatse gnigreme ysae regae laicremmoc ezilatipac rehtona dna dna dna ehT ,uadnaL ,yiksmitohK ,yiksmitohK yiksmitohK ,hsilgnE guoD eniltleB s’atnaltA dnA ,74
,kooL“ eH“ sraey htiw ohw eht ecnis emas dias denepo htam ti devlovni s’eh sah ydobyreve esle ”.did did ”,namssenisub neeb .oga a s’robhgieN ,uadnaL 04
Sergey Khotimskiy once owned the building that Neighbor’s Pub occupies on North Highland Avenue in Virginia-Highland. The pub’s owner, Doug Landau, later became alarmed when he learned that the U.S. Treasury Department included Khotimskiy on a list of sanctioned Russian elites. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
htiw gninrut edart ot ot ot ot hguorht yeht eht eht eht ,gnillet deiduts nwot-llams deusrup noitacilbup sserp lanosrep srenoisnep srentrap fo deman wal weivretni gnidulcni ni ni sih sih eh eh puorg werg evag laicnanif .ecnanif mlif yllautneve ylrae deretac reerac ssenisub ,rehtorb thguob .yhpargoib erofeb knab knab dna dna dna na ,snoitisiuqca stnuocca gnidrocca gnidrocca a a a dlroW knabmocvoS wocsoM s’yiksmitohK yiksmitohK nI nI .ecnaniF ,s0002
ot ,emit tsegral-driht eht eht yletavirp .llarevo tsegral-htnin ti dleh ,tnemnrevog emaceb knab dna gnidrocca .S.U s’aissuR nI
now htiw ot ot eht eht denwo-etats dlos os .wohs serahs yrotaluger ’srotaluger sti ti tnemtsevni pleh s’tnemnrevog ,tnemnrevog tnemnrevog morf seititne serusolcsid did .sremotsuc detnuoc .srotitepmoc yub sessenisub gnisselb .mra dna gnoma naissuR naissuR tI tI tI dnA
uoY“ tuohtiw htiw ot eht eht eht eht gniwohs dias pihsnoitaler no yenom ekam gnivah ”,tnemnrevog tnemnrevog rof wollef trepxe ymonoce esolc t’nac ta dna dna na ecnaigella naissuR ,avokabiR nosreteP lanoitanretnI etutitsnI anilE .scimonocE )a(
ot siht .yrots dnopser stseuqer detaeper ton rof rof did tnemmoc yiksmitohK
htrow ediw htlaew saw gniklaw detroppus ekats emos egnar :stiusrup lanosrep pihsrenwo eno fo fo stnemtsevni gnidulcni ni ni ni eh citcelce dluoc noitcelloc ,senac detsaob knab dna na na droffa a a s’yiksmitohK eH adirolF ,atnaltA .000,51$
efiw erehw ,gniddew ot yrots-eerht eht taht rats .pohs dedahs dedulces tas tnorfrevir pop deyalp krap dekoolrevo ecno skao raen evil ti ni ni eci esuoh tsoh emoh sih tnempoleved maerc struoc ytinummoc dellac tliub eccob gib ediseb llab dna dna dna na a a a a ehT htuoS ,reviR ottemlaP yaM nitsuJ ,dnalsI notliH daeH eH ,aniloraC .ffulB s’rebeiB
In a gated sanctuary of sprawling new mansions and marsh views near Hilton Head, South Carolina, prominent Russian banking executives including Sergey Khotimskiy bought homes and lots worth more than $22 million. Then they were sanctioned. To read more, visit postandcourier.com.
And read more about Sergey Khotimskiy at iStories.
emohnwot ot eerht eerht yeht eht .seirots erauqs dennaps dias kao noillim deripsni ni ni emoh dah ,sroolf flah-a-dna-evif ,secalperif teef tnempoleved sed yb thguob eb .shtab euqitna dna a a segsoV ehT ehT ecalP .siraP stI ,evalcnE daehkcuB dnA 051,6 9.1$
sthcay nehw erew dehctaw eht gnizies tnemges esuap ,renwo ekil s’droldnal wenk ti ni woh sih mih eh stnemnrevog evag morf .setile rab .dnuorgkcab stessa tuoba a VT naissuR ,uadnaL dnA ,3202
tI“ tiaW‘ ot ,kniht .dnoces .dias tner gniyap em edam ”’,reknab a a naissuR uadnaL m’I
htiw tnew skeew etisbew .saw raw pu ot ereht eht eht detegrat dehcraes .denoitcnas ,dias dellup nosrep fo ,thgin ,eman tsil tsuj ti ni mih eh dah dah tnemnrevog dnuof yreve dna dna ycnega retfa a .eniarkU .S.U yrusaerT ehT tahT aissuR hcraM uadnaL s’yiksmitohK eH s’tnemtrapeD ,2202
htiw htiw saw saw raw tnaw ot ot ot eht eht eht detroppus troppus wohemos emos snoitcnas dias :melborp ,ecalp gniyap htnom thgim wal ti ni .mih eh eh evah deraef dehsilbatse .troffe od t’ndid yb ssenisub dna dna na tsniaga a a eniarkU naissuR ,sulP uadnaL uadnaL CLL ,yiksmitohK eH 000,03$
nehW“ m’I‘ er’uoy uoy ekaw pu ot ,gnikniht gnikniht eht gnivres gnidnes .dias ton yenom ni ,ssenisub sregrub .sreeb dna er’uoY ”’,aissuR uadnaL )tuoba(
erehw yaw saw ot ot rieht tner ,srenwo on yenom wonk sih evah dah .gniog t’nod esolcsid sessenisub uadnaL aigroeG esuaceB
dluow ohw saw .raw dlot dlot ot ot eht eht ekat .dias ylhguor ,evloser laedro eno eno fo fo ylraen shtnom lagel ,reywal .etagitsevni ni ni ni sih sih derih mih mih derewop-hgih eh sdnah dah dah mrif seef .rehtie cimonoce erifssorc elpuoc degnahc thguac dellac ssenisub gnidliub dna a a notgnihsaW ehT oN oN eH s’aciremA 000,65$
hcihw saw dlot ot eht llits .renwo wen sreywal ni gnidloh mih eh dah dah .ynapmoc ynapmoc :raelc gnidliub degnoleb neeb a ehT ehT htroN s’uadnaL ,CLL s’yiksmitohK dnalhgiH tuB 257
ohw t’nsaw .saw dlot ,neht deduorhs ,dias ytreporp ’srenwo wen .yretsym ,denrael droldnal ni seititnedi sih eh eh nac eb uadnaL nI ,aigroeG nevE
Full-court press
htiw wodniw liart ot gnilgdelf-neht eht eht sknaht ecaps .drocer cilbup ,seitreporp .reyalp repap denepo ylno fo bulcthgin ynam gnol detimil lagel tfel tnemtsevni otni ni ni sih sih thgif ,sgnilaed ssenisub a a a a a ABN yiksmitohK tuB daehkcuB tA
htiw .napsgniw ediw ot eht ydeeps skcip nepo eno fo .bulcthgin ni ni ni eh morf dnuor-tsrif dediced sa devirra a a a redörhcS ’skwaH ynamreG sinneD atnaltA dnA ,6102 ,3102 dlo-raey-91
erow ohw pu eht .tnanet ecaps tes diap no fo rebmun noillim yesrej ni sih dah rof ,reilrae odnoc laicremmoc gnidliub emaceb esab dna na na gniga ,redörhcS .daoR eerthcaeP shtnoM CLL yiksmitohK ,71 4$
htiw saw .sriatspu yllasrevinu stnediser fo ton esion duol stol nehctik ti htlaeh gnivah ysaerg tiurf morf rof .seilf werd degnid tnemtraped stnialpmoc .devoleb ssab a ehT ehT egnuoL stI 71SD
Russian banker Sergey Khotimskiy once owned commercial space at the base of this condo building on Peachtree Road. He rented to the DS17 Lounge, a nightclub owned by former Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schröder. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
raey yeht eht eht eht naht deppots tuhs tnemelttes .tner dehcaer gniyap .yap ,denepo bulcthgin ssel sreywal sreywal ti ,nwod t’ndid bulc dna degella degella retfa retfa a a redörhcS s’yiksmitohK nevE dnA
tnew saw saw dedart ot ot ot ot eht eht eht revres devres gnikees ssecorp .kcehcyap srepap no sreywal tiuswal ni ni ni ni mih hsinrag delif ,ytilicaf tlaed a rednuhT s’redörhcS redörhcS redörhcS ecnO .amohalkO soL ’srekaL srekaL s’yiksmitohK yiksmitohK .selegnA retfA A ,0202 ,8102
nehw saw .llaw llaw dlot ot eht eht eht taht wohs revres dehcaer ssecorp yap deniatbo on devom reywal ni ni tih eh dah dah hsinrag morf stroffe noitcelloc .niaga retfa s’ffirehS redörhcS sdroceR eciffO ’srekaL :.A.L .A.L s’yiksmitohK eH ytnuoC ,2202
nehw erew yawrednu ot rieht eht eht ,maet llits wohs tnes denoitcnas wen srettel ni tnemnrevog stroffe dnamed seitirohtua .S.U s’redörhcS sdroceR .yiksmitohK .scitleC ainrofilaC tuB notsoB
rehtehw saw ot yeht eht eht dnopser stseuqer snoitseuq .diap ton ton woh deldnah rof reve did did .sdnamed tbed tnemmoc rewsna dna ,tnega tuoba tuoba ehT s’redörhcS kraM srekaL s’yiksmitohK scitleC ,nietsletraB
sraey eht ekats ecaps dlos :noitalever srepap dereffo bulcthgin ni ni ni sih dah delif .reilrae truoc a yiksmitohK nI eH ainrofilaC ,1202
ot ot eht eht taht dlos dias sthgir gnidloh mih eh dah dah nevig ,evitucexe desolcsid ,truoc ynapmoc tcelloc s’gnidliub rehtona tsniaga knabmocvoS .redörhcS yiksmitohK yiksmitohK nI .vesuG vesuG yrtimD
— sraey htiw saw litnu ot ereht eht eht eht eht taht etats dlos sdrocer .ytreporp ytreporp krowrepap ton on eman noitacidni ni ni ni eh dah rof delif t’ndid etaroproc esolc gnidliub thguob raeppa dna dna retfa .CLL s’vesuG vesuG s’aigroeG ,aigroeG kcaB 0202
saw desolcsidnu ot eht detegrat gnikirts snoitcnas elas dnopser stseuqer fo ton si noisavni rof did .tnemmoc yb esuaceb osla retfa .eniarkU .S.U ehT vesuG vesuG
dluow htrow ot ot ereht ,lles denoitcnas drocer ytreporp ton on .snoillim eh evah dediced gnitcennoc neeb reknab a a naissuR daH
‘The guys you read about’
yhtlaew ot rieht eht yas krap .yenom si srotsevni lanoitanretni rof strepxe noitanitsed gnilaeppa dna na .S.U snaissuR noitpurroc-itnA
ytniatrecnu meht rieht eht setats os .ycerces tsubor ,sthgir ytreporp laitnetop netfo tsom ,evissam si stnemtsevni gnitalusni ytilibatsni ni ni emoh sah morf rof neve ymonoce .seirtnuoc nac gib diova .noitnetta dna wolla .S.U swaL tI dnA
evres stnemtsevni ni .elpmaxe sa na s’yiksmitohK atnaltA
saw eht taht rotsap ,eman droldnal wonk tsuj morf neve t’ndid s’hcruhc ta ,dnalhgiH-ainigriV ttocS .aissuR s’yiksmitohK nI ytiC edistsaE-hcruhC gnortsmrA
eW“ ot eht .dias derrefer ”,hcragilo tsuj ylgnikoj mih sa gnortsmrA
tuohtiw owt naht dlos .dias seitreporp erom noillim gniteem ,mih rof reve nietS nietS sCLL s’yiksmitohK yerffeJ 51$
htiw htiw ohw saw eht eht .taht taht taht dettimbus dlos gnippohs ,dias dias ,reffo tcaretni desuoh tsehgih eh .rehtie t’ndid retnec dib reknab dna dna na a a a ,skcubratS nneP sserttaM yiksmitohK yiksmitohK ,egdoH egdoH mriF atterahplA
The investor who sold this Alpharetta shopping center to Sergey Khotimskiy for $5.6 million said he never met the buyer. Khotimskiy submitted the highest bid for the building, and that was that. (Thad Moore/AJC)
saw saw saw tisiv dlot ot ot eht eht gnidneps gnilles ytreporp noillim ti ni sih eh t’ndid reyub yub gnidliub erofeb reknab .daorba nehW ehT naissuR eztoK ,yiksmitohK nevahkoorB notnA .6102 7.1$
emit rieht eht eht eht taht seirots nees dias dednimer dekramer gnikrap fo swen yenom srotsevni ni mih d’eh eh ngierof ecneirepxe ta tuoba .S.U eztoK
sihT‘“ I“ ,naM‘ uoy uoy saw eseht eht ,dias daer ,ekil ”?wonk ”’.ti si syug yltcaxe era :gnidda ’,tuoba eztoK
sraey ot eht laer detpmorp .oiloftrop lanosrep ,tekram efil ni sih eh wef etatse deretne segnahc segnahc retfa s’yiksmitohK atnaltA A
efiw elihw ot ,emit eht eht deyats tnemetats ehs dias esnopser tnediser ’sretroper deirramer ,snoitseuq tnenamrep ni ni ni ni sih decrovid ta sa dna a a .S.U .aissuR yiksmitohK nI eH anelE ,aniksaB aniksaB .8102
ohw elihw ,tahw .srefsnart eht eht eht tnemetats scificeps .emos emos elos elos ehs dias deniater drocer laer cilbup pihsrenwo renwo denwo ,srehto sreffo reffo fo fo fo fo reh wef dnabsuh-xe etatse t’ndid renwo-oc seulc emaceb dna dna tuoba tuoba sCLL reH aniksaB
This Brookhaven building,which houses a natural food store, was sold to Sergey Khotimskiy for $1.7 million in 2016. “It was like a ghost in the night,” said the seller. “The money was good and in the account, and the property transferred very quickly.” (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
nehw saw saw gnitisiv ot ot rieht eht eht eht taht naht remmus .tnemetats ehs ehs noitarapes dias dias refas etaitogener yler ezilaer laer rehtar .nosrep cimednap denwo no fo edam ti ni ni emoh reh reh reh etatse deksa rehtona ,tnemeerga detpoda ,.S.U ehS yiksmitohK gniruD DIVOC aniksaB ,1202
dluow dluow dluow elihw pu eht ekat troppus ehs ehs .dias eviecer .stnemyap fo ni ni sih reh eh evig lortnoc dlihc stessa stessa osla deerga ,.S.U yehT ehS ,aissuR
I“ detnaw rednu ot eht secruos .dias fo ym ym emocni ni ”,lortnoc eb desab stessa dna dna lla .S.U aniksaB
detaitogen“ I“ ’nevig‘ saw saw ”.etadpu ot siht ehs tnemelttes .dias ton ni egnahcxe ”,tnelaviuqe eb gnihtyna ehT
koot ehs lareves .dias ssecorp ,shtnom ehT
dluow htiw ot eht eht eht noos tup tcepsorp no fo fo ,emitnaem noisavni ni .worg .tnemnrevog esruoc noisilloc nageb a a eniarkU .S.U naissuR wocsoM yiksmitohK nI snoisiceD
Targeted
yaw ot eht gnignir snalp fo ni evag llaf slleb nageb sa tuoba eniarkU s’aissuR mralA .2202 1202
erew spoort denetaerht eht eht naht .metsys .troppus denoitats .noitailater desoporp tuo fo tsom gnilahsram srekamwal ,noisavni tnatropmi laicnanif cimonoce gnittuc ,redrob nageb sknab dna na gnola seilla ,notgnihsaW s’eniarkU s’aissuR eroM nI ssergnoC gnitapicitnA 000,001
ot yeht eht .tegrat dednopser .emiger ,ylkciuq deman stsiybbol gnirih morf ecnatsid knab sa a knabmocvoS knabmocvoS s’nituP yraunaJ nI ,2202
htiw .segalliv snwot ot eht .wohs devres dias dias etomer .stcejorp gnizitiroirp secitcarp ,shcragilo yltsom tsedom ti ti ,semocni noisulcni ni dah neerg morf gnicnanif neve ytisrevid serusolcsid t’ndid retac ssenisub deugra dna dna dna detpoda ,tseW yehT yehT yehT knabmocvoS snaissuR
ekil“ lacigolli“ ruoy gnikrow htiw saw saw ”riafnu ot ot ot eht eht eht gnillet tegrat .snoitcnas .dias deliar ecar ,slasoporp eraperp teltuo ti deweivretni ni sih ”,daeh eh nug rof rof rof ’sessenisub .knab elcitra dna na tsniaga tuoba a .S.U semiT ehT naissuR wocsoM yiksmitohK tI eH 2202
Sergey Khotimskiy complained to The Moscow Times in 2022 about the possibility of facing U.S. sanctions. It was “like working with a gun to your head,” he said. (Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
krow htiw saw asiv s’naretev ot ot eht eht eht taht wohs revres gnikees ssecorp ylp srepap snwo no eman detsil stseretni ni ni gnidloh sih sih sih ezeerf rof delif etupsid dereviled deunitnoc ynapmoc yb .gnidliub knab noitacilppa na .stnuocca a a .S.U ,redörhcS sdroceR s’robhgieN ABN yiksmitohK ,yraunaJ nI dnA
ot eht eht snoitcnas emas tuo no no no fo selissim kcol ti ni gnisopmi remmah gnillaf deppord yad nageb noitartsinimda a ,eniarkU .S.U ,nehT ,knabmocvoS naissuR tnediserP eoJ yraurbeF s’nediB ,2202
htiw keew saw yrt derrefsnart .snoitcasnart koot ot ot siht rieht eht eht eht eht taht .paws wohs ehs dias dias esnopser ’sretroper sdrocer ,snoitseuq pihsrenwo pihsrenwo no fo fo ton raen noillim tsal stseretni ni ni esuoh sih edih reh tsrif dehsinif dnabsuh-xe did pordkcab tessa dna osla ehS ytreporP hcraM hcraM sCLL yiksmitohK tI nI notliH daeH aigroeG aniksaB aniksaB aniksaB .2202 .2202 ,31 9.5$
eht eht elos ehs .dias seitreporp renwo fo evom edam reh dnuora ehT ,atnaltA
rehtieN“ ot .dias thgir seitreporp ,nosrep pihsrenwo denwo rehto ro ro ro ro fo ym ”,em sah erutuf ,dnabsuh-xe tnerruc lortnoc yb yna yna a sCLL aniksaB
htiw htiw saw saw gnilevart yllanoitidart ot ot ot eht eht detegrat ehs .snoitcnas denoitcnas dias ,redro no slaiciffo ton ton ekil ti laudividni lagelli tih .mih .mih eh dah dah morf rof detcepxe evitucexe od ssenisub esuaceb emaceb eb dennab knab dna rednU ,.S.U .S.U hcraM yiksmitohK yiksmitohK tuB s’nediB aniksaB snaciremA ,42 ,2202
dluow nehw erew yeht eht eht llits snoitcnas seitreporp denwo ,desopmi evah .nezorf neeb yiksmitohK daH
Asset transfers
htiw eht eht eht eht eht deksat .metsys suoicipsus snoitcnas dellor nar tuo fo ecnegilletni ni ni tnemnrevog laicnanif noisivid gnitceted ta mra na ytivitca nehW yrusaerT naissuR ,krowteN ylrebmiK laicnaniF tnemecrofnE navonoD tnemtrapeD semirC ,2202
,raw decart ot ot yeht ereht rieht eht ehs .dias desiar rehto no shcragilo fo devom .tuokool ni woh eb sknab stessa dna smrala ecnavda snaissuR srotagitsevnI dnA
erehwynA“ skeew owt derrefsnart ot esoht yeht rieht rieht eht os .dias ,saesrevo ro fo fo fo seman htnom noisavni otni morf ylimaf yllaicepse esolc ”,setaicossa ,stessa dna lla daeha a ,eniarkU s’aissuR navonoD
saw denraw elbarenluv refsnart ot ot ot emit er’yeht eht eht eht taht rotces snoitcnas .denoitcnas dias der laer s’ti rof galf .noisave etatse setile laicremmoc ,sknab stessa dnuora na trela ycnega a naissuR naissuR nI NECniF dnA
srefsnart esoht eht hcus setats .yas eriuqer elttil ni morf strepxe yllaicepse erusolcsid gnignellahc nac esuaceb eb .S.U gnicarT ,sCLL
ot yeht rieht eht eht eht taht setats ycerces dias gniriuqer nosaer dessap .pihsrenwo ylno fo ekil wal nwonk .ti si sah puorg rof evitucexe esolcsid rotcerid snoitaroproc era noitpurroc-itna dna esitrevda a kroY ,.S.U ycnerapsnarT htuoS ylnO weN ,namlaK lanoitanretnI yraG erawaleD atokaD
ot meht rieht eht eht namsekops enoemos .dias ,stroper ’srenwo ,pihsrenwo srenwo ,tuo tuo no fo fo ton seman ekil gnivael reywal .ti ,ecnatsni noitamrofni evah evah rof llif elif seod tcelloc nac tub launna lautca a s’etatS srenniS yraterceS treboR eciffO sCLL nI ,aigroeG
s’tI“ hcihw eht eht eht taht .snoitcnas dias selur gniriuqer fo fo s’ti s’ti ylbidercni ylbidercni ylbidercni sesopmi evah gnitartsurf remrof secrofne t’nseod ,erusolcsid rotcerid ,tluciffid ”gnisserped raelc dna dna .S.U yrusaerT ,htimS eciffO nhoJ ngieroF .E s’tnemtrapeD ,lortnoC stessA
s’erehT“ ,snekaew eht taht ytiruces ,stcepser ycilop ruo no on lanoitan ynam ti ni ”.stnorf ngierof tbuod dna :dedda seitiliba htimS
,sraey koot ot .meht eht spets gniremmis ekil ni evah rof neeb dna sserdda .S.U s’htimS snrecnoC ,1202
,raey ohw otev ot ot .meht eht eht msirorret llet gnidneps gniriuqer desimorp gnidirrevo no fo yenom wal wal gnirednual tnemnrevog gnicnanif laredef detcane nwod esnefed kcarc dellortnoc seinapmoc lla-hctac dellac yb yb .llib dna yllautca a a s’pmurT ycnerapsnarT ehT tahT etaroproC ssergnoC tcA
gninier“ rehtar“ ,raey dluow dluow erew saw saw yrassecennu ot siht eht eht eht eht naht ,tnemetats namsekops llams gniyas dias dias stnemeriuqer stroper gnitroper ”.snoitaluger snoisivorp saesrevo no no fo ton ton ylraen noillim ,wal yek ti ti ti ni ni gnisopmi evah gnisucof tsrif dehsilbatse ecrofne reilrae eud .ylpmoc ,seinapmoc gnimoc ”.sessenisub emosnedrub sa decnuonna noitartsinimda a a .S.U .S.U pmurT yrusaerT sCLL tI nI tnemtrapeD tuB 33
dluow ot yeht yeht .meht timbus ,dias ,stroper slaiciffo deneppah eteled fI
lliw ohw .tahw eht eht yats ,yas ,tluser snwo ni tnemnrevog strepxe krad tuoba a sA
ot siht .troper fo fo seirotSi detubirtnoc dna dna ynoT ehT tsoP anirI aniniloD reiruoC emletraB
This story is based on reporting by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Post and Courier of South Carolina, the independent Russian news outlet iStories and freelance journalist John Dell’Osso.
Journalists looked across the country to locate public records and piece together the story of Sergey Khotimskiy’s business dealings in the U.S. These ranged from property records in South Carolina to LLC registrations in Georgia to court records in California. The team also reviewed visa applications, bank regulatory filings, foreign agent disclosures, code enforcement records, health inspections, congressional legislation, Russian press articles, judgment levies and several lawsuits. In Georgia, a reporter also interviewed some of the people who sold real estate to Khotimskiy’s LLCs and some of their tenants.
To give context to their findings, reporters also interviewed experts on corporate transparency and the Russian economy and former government officials whose work included enforcing economic sanctions. They also reviewed alerts and reports published by sanctions authorities in the U.S. and abroad.
Thad Moore is an investigative reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
