It is late Sunday. The only thing I expect to retain about the Super Bowl is being puzzled why Sponge Bob, in the form of the flaming meteor was part of the half time show. Weird.
In part my concentration all day has been on my business world, my family and letting my mind wind around a series of weird things in my news feed in the hours before the Super Bowl. I think these things warrant some attention, and they are bothering me enough, I can’t sleep. Which is very rare for me.
Here is the string of events overseas all involving the players at the core of the Russian Coupe of the US GOP, and installation of Donald Trump in the White House which are keeping me awake.
1 — Late Friday, Deutsche Bank (DB) records were leaked which reveal Donald Trump sought hundreds of millions in additional “Loans” from DB at the same time he started his campaign. DB declined the loans. for fear he would find reasons not to repay them — once he became President.
2 — Earlier Friday, Emin Agalarov Song-Styling Billionaire former Son-in-Law of Kazak President and heir to Billionaire Putin money launderer Aras Agalarov cancels all US/Canada tour dates and some EU tour dates. Tells a pop music fan-site -- he fears being taken by Robert Mueller.
3 — Even earlier Friday, Yevgeny Prigozhin “Putin’s Chef”, and owner of mercenary armies, PR firms, Russian Troll Farms and principle of Concord Management, one of the Russian Firms indicted by Mueller failed to arrive at a planned business conference in Germany — with no reason for his failure to attend provided.
I believe these events are related. And I believe DB somehow is informing Putin’s Team of it’s planned actions — so they can protect themselves.
I will presume readers here know after Trump’s series of catastrophic bankruptcies in the late 90’s-00s, no credible bank would loan him money. In Nov. 2015 Trump Inc. companies owed DB — at least — $360M in loans. Many of the Trump loans were jointly secured by non-transparent entities located in non-transparent locations commonly used by Russian Oligarchs. If you need to catch up, you can review DB Basics including $450M+ in Russian Money Laundering Fines collected by NY State and US Treasury in the Obama era. DB however, with incredibly complicated financial structures, and a very lucrative speciality in laundering Russian Oligarch money didn’t seem to learn from the laundering fines of that period, apparently continued to launder Russian funds, including for Agalarov and Prigozhin AFTER those settlements and massive raids took place on DB records in Germany, London, Denmark and the US over the last two years.
In banking circles, Trump golf courses, overpriced condo developments, and massive (and often unoccupied) hotels built in the middle of no-where have always been considered a useful cog in the Russian money laundering machine for decades. But no longer.
Something appears to have changed at DB. Not sure we will ever find out what. But it appears DB is being force to cooperate on Trump Money Laundering. They have calculated it is not valuable to pay another $1B in fines and deny wrongdoing. DB appears to be choosing a new tactic. Don’t get excited and believe they are doing the “right” think from a DK perspective, more likely they are doing the most profitable thing from a DB perspective.
I believe that DB has made the calculation that Trump is Toast. They know the money laundering records Mueller now has access to. They also likely know, to the last dollar, the total amount of money paid into the NRA, GOP PACs, and Inauguration Slush Funds through shells and holdings which bank via DB and affiliates. DB also knows what additional information law enforcement is demanding, and likely knows what records they have focussed on.
They would know from this information, Mueller is following the money.
So the logical next step if for DB to start trying to manage the story, and get themselves in the best position possible, for the coming fall of a US President. This involves leaking the records which protect those DB wants to continue doing business with, and when possible make itself look like “just an innocent bank teller who had ‘no idea’ the guy who dealt with giant sacks of moist and dirty $20 Bills was committing crimes” .
Here is what I think DB is up to:
First, they want to keep their place as the primary money laundering bank for Putin’s $200-500 BILLION managed in blocks of $1-5B at a time spread among 100 or so oligarch’s and fixers.
Second, the important oligarch’s to keep working with include Aras Agalarov — Trump’s Russian Partner on the Moscow Miss Universe etc. etc. and supposed partner for Trump Moscow Tower.
Aras Agalarov Basics for those who need to know more.
And
Prigozhin "The Chef" Basics
Third, provide enough disclosure to Mueller to let him get Trump Inc, while providing “heads ups” to the overseas collaborators DB wishes to protect — so they can avoid any unpleasant arrests while conducting sing-alongs or offering business insights on the global mercenary market.
Fourth, ALL of Trump’s $360M in known DB loans appear to backed by complex shells filled with funds by Putin cohorts. WHEN TRUMP LAUNCHED HIS CAMPAIGN — he set up loan requests via DB that appear have been for over $100M in additional funds from Putin cohorts, but … DB got nervous and said “Niet”. Why? — Occum’s Razor — DB was perfectly fine laundering money for Putin via Trump the Blowhards Golf Courses and hotels in the middle of nowhere. It was unlikely ever to be outed in any important way. However — $100M to buy a Presidential Candidate? That could blow up badly. And if it did, everyone would run for the hills and leave DB holding uncollectible debts and serious liability that the US Govt would likely NOT forgive. And worse — in 2015 when nearly everyone thought Trump for President was a bad joke, DB appeared to think it was LIKELY or even CERTAIN that Trump would win. Why did they think that? They know the assets Putin can bring to a project, and DB knows that Putin gets, what Putin wants. DB is after all, Putin’s bank.
A Flaming Sponge Bob Meteor. Why not. In this context it seems to fit right in.
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 · 10:14:49 PM +00:00
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Spoonamore
Per comments, there is a relevant update. Per my reading, Emin gave quotes about cancelling his planned US and Canada tour last Friday, but it turns out his lawyers and manager had announced the cancellation on Jan 21st. This expands the timeline of the events by a week, but not the fundamental linkage and change of activities and behaviors. I also was corrected, his x-wife was the daughter of President for Life of Azerbaijan, not the President for Life of Kazakstan. I should have looked that up before posting. Apologies.
Tuesday, Feb 5, 2019 · 1:55:01 PM +00:00
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Spoonamore
Interesting Update in Today’s Headlines. As DogZilla and others are discussing, there is now a Federal Subpoena on the Trump Inaugural Committee. The Subpoena is specifically seeking information on foreign funds transfers. Given the known Russian, Ukranian, et. al. attendees, and the known preference many of these players have for using DB, I bet the FBI investigation behind the Subpoena HAS the DB records seized. “If you want a conviction, you never ask a Perp a question you don’t already have documentation for the correct answer.”