Guardian: French theme-park firm kept working with sanctioned Russian oligarch after EU blacklist

A new report from The Guardian reveals that Puy du Fou, a French theme-park company, maintained its working relationship with sanctioned Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev even after the European Union placed him on its sanctions list in 2014. Documents reviewed by the newspaper trace the partnership to a point beyond the initial blacklist and expose political connections behind it.

The investigation comes as Puy du Fou is pursuing a £600 million expansion in the United Kingdom. The documents show that the relationship between the French company and Malofeyev was not cut off when EU restrictions took effect. According to The Guardian, the records demonstrate that the cooperation continued for an extended period and was supported by political ties that have now come to light.

The Guardian says the new records trace the partnership beyond the 2014 blacklist and expose the political ties behind it. These ties have not previously been publicly known. The company, meanwhile, is pressing ahead with a large-scale project in the UK valued at £600 million.