A British businessman, David Crisp, has sparked outrage after being recorded admitting to selling high-end perfume to Russia in defiance of government sanctions. The undercover footage revealed Crisp discussing ways to continue selling his luxury fragrance, "Boadicea the Victorious," priced at £1,000 a bottle, despite the legal prohibitions. Following his arrest in October 2023 by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the UK government agency responsible for enforcing sanctions, it appears that he will not face any criminal charges.
The BBC had access to exclusive footage, which showed Crisp dismissing official sanctions while discussing his successful Russian market ventures with an undercover investigator, who he mistook for a potential business partner. “We ignore government edicts,” he reportedly stated, showcasing a blatant disregard for the law.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UK has imposed sanctions against various sectors, including perfume sales, which are explicitly banned. Violating these sanctions could lead to severe penalties, including a maximum prison sentence of up to ten years. Yet, as it stands, there have not been any criminal convictions in the UK related to these sanctions, raising alarm among lawmakers like Conservative MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who views this lack of prosecution as indicative of the UK’s lenient approach.
Crisp's former business partner, David Garofalo, initially reported his suspicions that Crisp was still engaging in trade with Russia. After conducting a private investigation, Garofalo uncovered extensive evidence of Crisp’s continued sales, including shipments confirmed via shipping data. Following the surfacing of this information, a High Court judge ruled that Crisp would be removed immediately from the company, emphasizing the compelling evidence of his sanction violations.
Despite the incriminating evidence, HMRC dropped the investigation earlier this year, stating that the evidence wasn’t compelling enough for prosecution—much to the disbelief of Garofalo, who labeled the case "open and shut." The agency has commented on the seriousness of breaching sanctions, yet very few firms have faced criminal actions beyond financial penalties in recent years.
Tim Ash, from the foreign affairs think tank Chatham House, commented on the broader implications of this case, asserting that the rewards of trading with Russia often outweigh the risks for some businesspeople. He lamented the lack of urgency in establishing an effective sanctions regime, citing that without concrete consequences, there is little deterrent against violating sanctions.
Warnings from MPs like Iain Duncan Smith highlight an urgent need for the UK government to enforce its sanctions more proactively. With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the associated humanitarian crisis, experts caution that maintaining a robust sanctions system is crucial not only for international relations but for demonstrating accountability on the global stage.
