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Biden's State Department Warned Brittney Griner NOT to Return to Russia (UPDATED)
The Biden administration worried that if Brittney Griner returned to Russia to play basketball a week before the Ukraine invasion she would be used as a bargaining chip.
UPDATE: President Biden traded Viktor Bout, the so-called 'Merchant of Death', for Russian basketball player Brittney Griner in a one-for-one prisoner exchange. Bout conspired to kill U.S. officials, deliver anti-aircraft missiles, and provide aid to a terrorist organization.1 Sadly, Biden capitulated to Putin’s demands and agreed to allow former United States Marine Paul Whelan to remain in a Russian prison on charges he was spying for the CIA. Pray for Paul and his family.
According to multiple sources, representatives from the United States Department of State contacted Brittney Griner at least a week before her planned return to Russia and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. They warned the basketball player that she was no longer safe in Russia and that if she returned to play basketball she faced a very real risk of wrongful imprisonment and detention. After Griner dismissed their warnings the State Department reportedly contacted her coach Vanessa Nygaard and her agent Lindsay Colas to see if they could convince Brittney not to return to Russia. At the end of the day, Griner made a personal commitment to Oligarch Iskander Makhmudov the owner of UMMC Ekaterinburg to play basketball and she assumed given his close relationship with Putin she would be safe - she was wrong.
Despite the fact that Griner ignored warnings from the State Department not to return to Russia the president has personally interceded on her behalf offering to release Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer known as the ‘Merchant of Death’ in exchange for her and another American detainee. Ten years ago Bout was convicted of conspiracy to kill American citizens and officials, delivery of anti-aircraft to Islamic extremists, and aiding terror organizations in their effort to launch attacks across America. He is serving a 25-year sentence in Marion Penitentiary.2
Griner pled guilty to drug trafficking and has been sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony. Russia hasn't responded to Biden’s plea. Meanwhile, the families of 50 other Americans being held illegally in Russia are angry that Biden is ignoring the plight of their loved ones and focusing on the release of Griner.3
American Russian basketball player, Brittney Griner, was arrested in Russia on drug charges and has been in jail since before the invasion. After Putin invaded Ukraine her arrest and incarceration made headlines causing basketball fans to demand her release. What most Americans don't realize is that Brittney is part of the reason Putin and his oligarch friends are able to rule Russia with an iron fist and hold the rest of the world at their mercy.
The Russian Federation invited Brittney Griner to play basketball in Yekaterinburg shortly after her domestic violence conviction and resulting suspension from the WNBA.4 She has transported hashish oil in cartridges used in her pen vaporizer into and throughout the federation for at least six years - a fact well known by Russian security services. During the trial, Russian prosecutors showed that when Griner was arrested she was in possession of a “significant amount” of Cannabis Oil in the form of 100+ vape cartridges. Presumably, in the past Russian authorities looked the other way when Griner brought a few vape cartridges in for her personal use.5 Despite this fact, many believe her arrest WAS politically motivated but she is not innocent.
You may not know, but when Brittney's not playing basketball in the WNBA she works for a Russian oligarch named Iskander Makhmudov. The billionaire, with very close ties to Putin, pays Griner more than $1 million each year, provides her luxury penthouse, a car, and driver, chartered flights to games, and even hired her WNBA coach's husband to coach her Russian basketball team. Putin's associates approached Griner shortly after she was arrested for assaulting her then-fiancée and suspended by the WNBA for both the attack and failure to pay alimony and child support. As a result, Brittney's loyalty is bought and paid for by Makhmudov and by extension Putin.6
Brittney's boss Iskander Makhmudov is a very powerful and dangerous man in Russia not just because of his very close financial and personal relationship with Putin but because of his control of politicians and corporations in the United States and Europe. When the Department of Justice sanctioned him and charged him in 2003 with leading a "massive racketeering scheme" in the US that included “physical violence, mail and wire fraud, and money laundering in the United States” the White House applied 'pressure' causing the case to be dropped on 'jurisdictional grounds'.
Since then Makhmudov has only strengthened his control of western institutions. For example, in 2014 he was able to use his influence to cause Hyatt Hotels to cancel their deal with Donald Trump (prior to his presidency) and partner with him to build luxury apartment hotels in Russia. The first project completed under the partnership was the Iset Tower. The 52-story building features a Hyatt Hotel, 225 luxury apartments (Brittney lives in one of the penthouse units), a casino, clubhouse, spa, wellness facility, swimming pool, a cinema, restaurants, and a shopping mall.7 Putin, through Makhmudov, depends on Hyatt to funnel millions of dollars in campaign contributions to BOTH Republicans and Democrats (Hyatt contributed to both Trump and Biden and the RNC and GOP).8
Prior to capturing the Hyatt group, Makhmudov convinced Wendy's and Arby's to bet their future on the oligarch by developing more than 180 restaurants across Russia - the deal has since soured and the owner of the brands has announced they are no longer rolling out stores in Russia.9 Makhmudov then convinced the famous Goodman Steak House brand from England to join forces with him to bring their steaks to Russia. He did the same with other famous European brands including Filimonova and Yankel, Kolbasoff, and Mama's Pasta. Makhmudov, not wanting to miss out on the food delivery craze launched not one but two food delivery companies including Legion and Yedinaya Set Pitania. Just as Hyatt contributes millions to American politicians Wendy's/Arby's Group PAC is a prolific contributor to BOTH parties.10
Makhmudov's International Space Services was a MAJOR supplier of rocket engines to American space companies until President Trump banned the use of Russian and Chinese commercial satellite services and launch vehicles.11 As a result of Trump's action, Makhmudov was forced to shut down his own space tourism business called CosmoCourse.12 Once Biden was elected American space companies lobbied the new administration on Makhmudov's behalf to allow the oligarch to resume its business with US space companies. Magically, just prior to the Ukraine invasion Biden quietly lifted the ban allowing Makhmudov to resume sales to American firms. Unfortunately for these firms, the oligarch's company will be forced to stop the delivery of rockets on December 22 unless Biden's new sanctions are lifted.
Makhmudov is able to use his billions to influence and control American and European political leaders for his own benefit and the benefit of his benefactor - Putin. As a result, it should come as no surprise that when Biden's Treasury Department released its list of sanctioned individuals Iskander Makhmudov's name was nowhere to be found. He managed to escape sanctions in the UK and EU as well.13
Putin's Army of Oligarchs weaponizes the riches plundered from the Russian people to build a complex spiderweb of influence and control in the United States and Europe. When you stay at Hyatt Hotel, eat at Arby's, or cheer for Brittney Griner - in a small way, you are helping Makhmudov keep Putin in power. Putin uses Makhmudov and more than a hundred other oligarchs to buy us off - a little bit at a time.
Brittney Griner sold out to Putin and his oligarch. In return for a million dollars and other perks, she shows her support for the regime prior to each basketball game she plays in Russia by standing at attention for the Russian National Anthem. Millions of Russians watch her on Russian-controlled media as she honors the anthem. The same tune that was played prior to the executions of millions of people during Stalin's purges. Ironically, Griner won't stand for the American National Anthem due to the nation’s history of slavery.14 Presumably she doesn't realize that according to the 2018 Global Slavery Index the Russians are holding almost a million people in slave-like conditions including forced labor, forced prostitution, debt bondage, forced servile marriage, exploitation of children, and forced prison labor.15 For a million dollars Griner is willing to ignore that and support a murderous dictator like Putin.
If we continue to allow Putin to use his Army of Oligarchs to buy us we really have no one to blame for his naked aggression than ourselves. Each of us must commit to STOP taking money from and doing business with oligarchs and their partners.
Why are professional athletes who admit to committing domestic violence given a pass in America? Should wealthy athletes who beat their wives and girlfriends still be considered "American Heroes"?
Imagine a wealthy professional athlete is arrested and jailed by police for attacking their girlfriend. The media reports that they "plead guilty in domestic violence case, entered counseling" after taking a plea agreement that allowed them to plead guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct in exchange for attending 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling. After Sports Illustrated published a story detailing the seriousness of the attack revealing medical records and CT scans that show the victim suffered a concussion and spinal trauma the commissioner of the league suspends the athlete who admitted attacking their girlfriend for just seven games.
Then a month later the athlete marries the victim in a ceremony where the following vows are recited:
“I promise to be the Whitney to your Bobby, the Bonnie to your Clyde, the Ike to your Tina...”
Two weeks after that the athlete's wife announces that the newlyweds were expecting twins. Two days later the athlete asks a court to annul the marriage claiming they had been under duress when they married the victim. The court determines the athlete is not being truthful. The athlete's estranged wife then sues for spousal support and ultimately is awarded child support. When the athlete does not pay the child support their estranged wife asks the court to enforce the order and require the athlete to pay for the children's daycare. The court orders the athlete to pay the back child support and 90% of the daycare costs. Sometime later the couple is awarded a divorce and the athlete immediately remarries another woman.
If you haven't guessed it already, I'm referring to Brittney Griner who plays basketball in Russia for UMMC Ekaterinburg. Before long we'll be hearing that President Biden has traded the Merchant of Death, Viktor Bout, for the Russian basketball player. Meanwhile, other Americans held on bogus charges of espionage in Russia will languish in various Russian prisons and labor camps.
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@amuse (formerly Politique Republic) is a newsletter dedicated to the political issues facing America from a conservative viewpoint.