Alexander KuksovMalta’s citizenship agency is closely following event surrounding a Russian holder of a Maltese passport who is on the UK’s most wanted list.
Earlier this week it was reported that Alexander Kuksov, who had obtained his Maltese passport through the now-defunct golden passport scheme, is wanted in the UK for his alleged involvement in a billion-dollar money laundering network.
Community Malta Agency is responsible for administering all Maltese citizenship-related matters, including applications for the acquisition of Maltese citizenship by registration and by naturalisation.
The agency confirmed that the name of the person in question (Kuksov) has come to the attention of the national authorities and said it will be following any developments in this case closely.
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Russian on UK’s ‘most wanted’ list holds Maltese golden passport as brother’s citizenship revoked
“Whenever a person commits wrongdoing, even after becoming a Maltese citizen, a decision may be taken to deprive that person of their citizenship. Each case must be examined on its merits, and if proceedings are initiated against the individual, the same process applies. In similar instances, we have always taken a decision when required, and we will not hesitate to take such a decision again,” a spokesperson said.
Kuksov’s brother and father also have Maltese passports
Kuksov, 23, was charged this month by the UK’s National Crime Agency with “proceeds of crime offences” and placed on the agency’s “most wanted” list. Authorities allege he was “involved with an organised crime group responsible for the transfer and movement of multi-millions of pounds of criminal cash.”
The charges relate to “entering into or being concerned in the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property, in this case, cash,” according to the NCA listing. Alexander’s current whereabouts remain unknown.
The revelation follows October 2025’s revocation of Maltese citizenship for Alexander’s brother, Semen Kuksov, 25, who received a five-year sentence in the UK for laundering more than £12 million of criminally obtained cash. The elder Kuksov was convicted of operating what the NCA termed a “professional banking service for criminals across the world.”
Both brothers, alongside their father Vladimir Anatolyevich Kuksov, appear on Malta’s 2022 citizenship list. The family appears to have obtained Maltese passports mere weeks before Russians were excluded from passport sales following the Kremlin’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Semen Kuksov (Photos: NCA/Miguela Xuereb)Brother’s passport revoked
Newsbook Malta‘s previous reports highlighted significant delays between government initiation of passport revocation processes and official citizenship cancellation. In April 2024, Community Malta Agency CEO Joseph Mizzi confirmed authorities were “seriously considering” advising the minister to initiate deprivation proceedings against Semen Kuksov.
The deprivation process was ultimately initiated following revelations by Times of Malta, OCCRP and Amphora Media journalists in 2024, with citizenship officially revoked in October 2025.
Malta eliminated its citizenship-by-investment programme earlier this year following a damning European Court of Justice judgement, ending a long-winded saga. The government had attempted defending the scheme, claiming unfair targeting despite similar schemes existing elsewhere—a false claim. Malta has now expanded a discretionary citizenship scheme for individuals of “exceptional merit.”
