NEW YORK, NY — The Justice Department has initiated a civil forfeiture action for two New York City apartments, alleging they were acquired with $14 million derived from an international corruption scheme involving Mongolia’s former Prime Minister, Sukhbataar Batbold. The case underscores the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to combat global corruption and money laundering.
According to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Batbold exploited his role to favorably award contracts related to Mongolia’s natural resources, thereby engaging in a complex scheme to launder proceeds through high-end real estate in the United States. This action represents a significant move by the U.S. authorities to clamp down on foreign corruption and the misuse of the American real estate market to conceal illicit funds.
The investigation, led by the FBI’s International Corruption Squad, highlights the sophisticated methods employed by corrupt officials to hide their ill-gotten gains abroad. With this forfeiture action, the U.S. government sends a strong message against the exploitation of its financial and property markets for laundering corrupt proceeds.