Two Florida Steel Traders Sentenced for Money Laundering and Russia-Ukraine Sanctions Violations

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-florida-steel-traders-sentenced-money-laundering-and-russia-ukraine-sanctions-violations

Friday, April 19, 2024
President of Metalhouse LLC Sentenced to Six Years in Prison and $160 Million Forfeiture
Co-Conspirator Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison and $4.7 Million Forfeiture

John Can Unsalan, aka Hurrem Can Unsalan, the president of Orlando, Florida-based steel trading firm Metalhouse LLC, was sentenced to six years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering to promote violations of U.S. sanctions against Sergey Kurchenko, a pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch. Unsalan’s former business associate, Sergey Karpushkin, a Belarusian national residing in Miami, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his role in the scheme. Unsalan pleaded guilty and was ordered to forfeit $160 million in proceeds from the offense. Karpushkin pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to commit international promotional money laundering and was ordered to forfeit $4.7 million in criminal proceeds.