Relatives of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from 2013 to 2019 purchased in Moscow real estate for at least $ 40 million.

This was reported by the anti-corruption non-governmental organization Global Witness. According to her, most of the objects - both apartments and office premises - are located in the skyscrapers of the business center "

Representatives of the Makhluf family, considered the second richest and most influential family in Syria, acquired property in Moscow. It is believed that until 2011 it controlled up to 60 percent of the country's economy. The main buyer who acquired 13 real estate properties was Assad's cousin Hafiz Makhluf and related Russian companies.

The main representatives of the Mahlouf family are under sanctions of the USA and the European Union, including for participating in the use of violence against Syrian citizens. Global Witness investigation shows that Moscow real estate acquired through offshore companies can be not only an investment of the Makhlouf family in a region where they are not at risk, but also a way to launder money for their further movement to the European Union.