19.5% of Russia’s state oil company just sold. Dossier mentioned pledge to sell 19% to Trump.

[Amused]

I want to highlight a story that many people haven’t noticed. On Wednesday, Reuters reported (in great detail) how 19.5% of Rosneft, Russia’s state oil company, has been sold to parties unknown. This was done through a dizzying array of shell companies, so that the most that can be said with certainty now is that the money “paying” for it was originally loaned out to the shell layers by VTB (the government’s official bank), even though it’s highly unclear who, if anyone, would be paying that loan back; and the recipients have been traced as far as some Cayman Islands shell companies.

Why is this interesting? Because the much-maligned Steele Dossier (the one with the golden showers in it) included the statement that Putin had offered Trump 19% of Rosneft if he became president and removed sanctions. The reason this is so interesting is that the dossier said this in July, and the sale didn’t happen until early December. And 19.5% sounds an awful lot like “19% plus a brokerage commission.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-rosneft-privatisation-insight-idUSKBN1582OH

 

[ivwshane]

I want to highlight a story that many people haven’t noticed. On Wednesday, Reuters reported (in great detail) how 19.5% of Rosneft, Russia’s state oil company, has been sold to parties unknown. This was done through a dizzying array of shell companies, so that the most that can be said with certainty now is that the money “paying” for it was originally loaned out to the shell layers by VTB (the government’s official bank), even though it’s highly unclear who, if anyone, would be paying that loan back; and the recipients have been traced as far as some Cayman Islands shell companies.

Why is this interesting? Because the much-maligned Steele Dossier (the one with the golden showers in it) included the statement that Putin had offered Trump 19% of Rosneft if he became president and removed sanctions. The reason this is so interesting is that the dossier said this in July, and the sale didn’t happen until early December. And 19.5% sounds an awful lot like “19% plus a brokerage commission.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-rosneft-privatisation-insight-idUSKBN1582OH

So who will investigate this?

Would this be impeachment worthy? Would this be a form of treason?

 

[HomerJS]

Damn I so predicted this.
https://forums.anandtech.com/thread...state-to-help-russia-putin-and-exxon.2496878/

 

[Commodus]

Still good to be skeptical of the Steele dossier, but if there ends up being a Trump connection (and that's a big "if")... well, that's it. It's treason. Trump gets impeached at a minimum, and it potentially delegitimizes the whole election result.

I really, really don't want to assume this is the case, but I hope that journalists are diving deep and looking for any connections.

 

[soundforbjt]

Another interesting thing about the dossier is that weeks after the MI6 guy went off the radar into hiding, it was reported that a Russian intelligence guy had his head covered with a bag and was drug out of a intelligence meeting and has not been seen since. His social media has been scrubbed and he's now in prision and charged with aiding western countries with espionage.

 

[momeNt]

The sale of this was decreed before the election. Obviously that matters little because Russia was confident in their ability to sway the election. But it's at least technically possible the sale was going to happen anyways. And it most certainly was in the works before the new sanctions. Although, given their great motive for interfering with the election, they probably saw that coming too.

 

[Genx87]

This is interesting. But I suspect what we will see is Putin now owns 19.5% of this company if there was a way to weed through all the shell companies. Watch a few documentaries about Putin and how he has accumulated so much wealth. The guy is a master of deception.

 

[yllus]

Even Trump can't possibly be this corrupt. Right?

 

[Londo_Jowo]

I thought the Steele dossier said that Carter Page and his brokerage firm was offered a 19% stake in Rosneft

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Yeah this might be reaching quite a bit. There was news back in June that they were looking to sell $11B stake due to issues with the Russian government meeting spending commitments.

 

[realibrad]

Lets just hope the Left actually looks at this type of thing, instead of his tweets.

 

[bshole]

This is interesting. But I suspect what we will see is Putin now owns 19.5% of this company if there was a way to weed through all the shell companies. Watch a few documentaries about Putin and how he has accumulated so much wealth. The guy is a master of deception.

I thought of that too. But that wouldn't help Putin, Russia needs foreign cash desperately.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Tin foil hat time! The crazies are coming out of the woodwork!

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Lets just hope the Left actually looks at this type of thing, instead of his tweets.

I agree, we need to let up on the racist finger pointing and being so upset about a relatively minor Holocaust remembrance day thing or some stupid internet frog meme and focus more on what's going on with Trump and how to win elections.

 

[K1052]

I thought the Steele dossier said that Carter Page and his brokerage firm was offered a 19% stake in Rosneft

This is correct. The larger question of a possible payoff to Trump is unclear but were such an arrangement to be conducted I'd have a hard time believing that he didn't have knowledge of it unless the other info in the dossier is actually accurate and he is under threat of blackmail.

The level of obfuscation wrt the deal and how close the percentage matches the dossier is interesting but I'm very skeptical until some sort of real evidence is found

 

[bshole]

Tin foil hat time! The crazies are coming out of the woodwork!

Thanx for that. Who do you think is the new owner and why is Russia attempting to hide the buyer?

A drug cartel perhaps?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Tin foil hat time! The crazies are coming out of the woodwork!

Doc this is admittedly a big if but if its shown to be far more likely to be true than not true what will your opinion be?

 

[Amused]

This is correct. The larger question of a possible payoff to Trump is unclear but were such an arrangement to be conducted I'd have a hard time believing that he didn't have knowledge of it unless the other info in the dossier is actually accurate and he is under threat of blackmail.

The level of obfuscation wrt the deal and how close the percentage matches the dossier is interesting but I'm very skeptical until some sort of real evidence is found

As am I. However, this easily warrants an independent investigation.

 

[Jaskalas]

To clarify:

• Personal benefit / gain by a "special interest", including another country, is itself corruption.
• Acting on that gain, for another country, would be betrayal / treason.

Right?

Clinton had similar charges levied against her regarding the foundation and uranium to Putin.
Her supporters denied it, her opponents believed it. Now Trump gets similar treatment.
How to tell fact from fiction...

 

[nakedfrog]

Even Trump can't possibly be this corrupt. Right?

I'd like to believe that, but I'd have to assign it a non-zero chance.

 

[K1052]

As am I. However, this easily warrants an independent investigation.

Agreed.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Doc this is admittedly a big if but if its shown to be far more likely to be true than not true what will your opinion be?

And just when is this spurious accusation far more likely to be considered true? When the volume level within the liberal echo chamber rises to exceptionally "truthy" levels? Or when actual facts come to light which clearly prove such an accusation?

 

[Genx87]

I thought of that too. But that wouldn't help Putin, Russia needs foreign cash desperately.

Putin doesnt give a shit about what Russia needs. He invaded Crimea knowing it would tank his economy. If he can steal a few hundred million more for him and his cronies at the expense of Russia he would.

 

[superstition]

There aren't any shell companies in the Cayman Islands.

It's just a "conspiracy theory"!

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Thanx for that. Who do you think is the new owner and why is Russia attempting to hide the buyer?

A drug cartel perhaps?

I have zero idea who the new owner is and normally wouldn't dare to guess. But Tillerson does kinda have beady eyes...probably him! lol