Court demands X to disclose investors; connections to Putin’s cronies are discovered

An American court has mandated that Platform X, previously known as Twitter, reveal its investors in connection with a lawsuit initiated by former employees. Among the investors who facilitated Elon Musk’s platform acquisition is a fund linked to oligarchs associated with Vladimir Putin.

The Federal Court in California has instructed X to provide a comprehensive list of its investors, which comprises over a hundred names, including notable figures from finance, entertainment, and a member of the Saudi royal family. Notably, one fund has garnered considerable attention: it is connected to the sons of Russian oligarchs with close ties to Vladimir Putin.

This fund is specifically identified as the 8VC Opportunities Fund II. The fund’s website lists Denis Aven and Jack Moszkowicz among its staff, both of whom are sons of prominent oligarchs Petr Aven and Vadim Moszkowicz. Petr Aven, a billionaire and founder of Alfa Group, is recognized as “one of Putin’s main portfolios” and is currently under sanctions due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Vadim Moszkowicz, who amassed his wealth in the agricultural sector, is also part of Putin’s inner circle and has faced similar Western sanctions.

In response to allegations of supporting Trump, X has refrained from commenting on these developments when approached by Fortune magazine. However, Joe Lonsdale, the founder of 8VC, characterized the scrutiny as a reaction from left-leaning media outlets. He referenced a Forbes article highlighting his fund’s connections to the sons of Russian oligarchs.

In a post on X, Lonsdale praised Jack Moszkowicz as a “star” within the company and described Vadim Moszkowicz as a “successful agricultural leader in Russia” and a “superstar,” stating, “I know him and trust him.”

Lonsdale reportedly engaged Denis Aven based on a recommendation from Moszkowicz, with the two having been acquainted since childhood. Both Aven and Moszkowicz opted not to supply comments for the article published by the magazine.

In its article, “Forbes” highlighted that there is no evidence to suggest the involvement of the fathers with the fund, while also noting that these revelations emerge as the US government intensifies its scrutiny of foreign ties within the technology sector.

“There is no legal issue with employing the child of an individual who is under sanctions. However, if you are engaging the offspring of those who are reasonably suspected of backing the Russian regime—even if they may have had personal reservations at some time—you must conduct thorough due diligence,” said Daniel Fried, a former sanctions policy coordinator at the State Department, in an interview with the magazine.

Among those who expressed their views on these findings was Guy Verhofstadt, who asserted that “Putin’s associates facilitated Musk’s acquisition of Twitter.” He further remarked, “This clarifies much: Musk’s position on Crimea, his earlier refusal to permit Ukraine to utilize Starlink, and his support for Trump. It is time for the United States to become aware!”

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