Cherie Blair's charity linked to firm sanctioned for 'supporting Russia'

27 May 2023 , 18:10

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John Hanafin with Tony and Cherie Blair in December 2016

Cherie Blair’s charity has links with a firm sanctioned for its alleged ties to Russian cash.

Dubai-based John Desmond Hanafin and his company Huriya Private are alleged to have helped Russia since it invaded Ukraine.

The US accuses him of facilitating movement of Russian cash into the UAE via Huriya and procuring sham passports for Russian clients.

Now it has emerged Huriya funds 50 mentoring scholarships for the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.

In 2016 Irishman Mr Hanafin, 48, tweeted a photo of himself with ex-PM Tony Blair and wife Cherie at a do for the equal opportunities charity. He wrote: “Check out what The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women is doing to help empower women all over the world. Superb.”

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Tony Blair and wife Cherie Blair attend a service of thanksgiving for Lord Heywood in Westminster Abbey in London on June 20, 2019 (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Blairs at Westminster Abbey during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 (UK Press via Getty Images)

And this March Huriya’s chief operating officer, Katerina Pawl-owska Hanafin, was with Mrs Blair, 68, on International Women’s Day.

The US Treasury’s Office of For-eign Assets Control aims to “tighten the vice on Putin’s ability to wage his invasion” and outlined sanctions against Huriya a week ago. It said: “Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Huriya began working quickly to move Russian assets into structures protecting them from sanctions.

“Hanafin facilitated movement of Russian money. Huriya also helped Russian nationals procure non-Russian passports under assumed names to avoid financial scrutiny and sanctions.

“Hanafin, with assistance from corrupt officials, procured fraudulent passports for Russian clients wanting to hide their nationality.”

OFAC added firms in Cyprus and Hong Kong were also sanctioned due to their links to Mr Hanafin.

The charity and Huriya Private were contacted for comment.

Amy Sharpe