Official announcements from the U.S. Department of State or Treasury

Freed by Biden for Griner, 'Merchant of Death' Bout Now Selling Arms to Yemen's Houthis

Oct 7, 2024, 08:51 AM

Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the "Merchant of Death," who was freed in 2022 in a prisoner swap made by the Biden-Harris administration for basketball star Brittney Griner, is reportedly back in the arms business. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Bout is allegedly negotiating a $10 million sale of automatic weapons, including AK-47 rifles, to Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants. Houthi emissaries reportedly met with Bout in Moscow in August to discuss the arms deal. The U.S. has designated the Houthis as a terrorist group involved in attacks against Israel and the U.S. Navy. Bout had previously served a 25-year sentence for arms trafficking before his release.