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Viktor Bout, the notorious Russian arms dealer exchanged two years ago for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, has reportedly resumed arms trading, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper, citing unnamed sources, claims that Bout is brokering arms deals with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Bout, known as the "merchant of death," is attempting to broker the sale of small arms to the Houthis. According to the report, Houthi representatives encountered Bout during a meeting in Moscow in August to negotiate the purchase of $10 million worth of automatic weapons. However, the potential arms deal has yet to be delivered, according to the report.
The weapons in question reportedly do not include larger systems like anti-ship or anti-air missiles, which could pose a significant threat to U.S. military efforts in the region.
The Kremlin and Russia’s Ministry of Defense did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters regarding Bout’s reported involvement in the arms trade. Steve Zissou, a lawyer who represented Bout during his imprisonment in the U.S., declined to comment on whether Bout had met with the Houthis.
Bout, who joined Russia's Kremlin-loyal Liberal Democratic Party after his release in a prisoner swap in December 2022, has maintained a low profile since his return.
Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and later extradited to the U.S., where he was convicted in 2012 on charges related to arms trafficking and sentenced to 25 years in prison. For nearly two decades, Bout was one of the world’s most infamous arms dealers, supplying weapons to rogue states and rebel groups across Africa, Asia, and South America. His operations inspired the 2005 Hollywood film Lord of War.
Despite his conviction and imprisonment, Bout’s network reportedly continued to function, aiding conflicts in some of the world’s most dangerous regions.
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