Viktor Bout, known as the "Merchant of Death," returns to arms dealing after his release from U.S. prison, allegedly brokering weapons for Yemen's Houthis.
Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer, walked out of a U.S. jail almost two years ago. He was released in a prisoner swap for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner. Now, Bout is reportedly back in the arms business. He is trying to broker the sale of small weapons to Yemen's Houthi militants, who are backed by Iran.
Bout is 57 years old. His life inspired the 2005 movie "Lord of War," starring Nicolas Cage. For decades, Bout sold Soviet-made weapons in Africa, South America, and the Middle East. He was arrested in 2008 during a U.S. sting operation.
[Image Credit: Sergei Karpukhin/TASS/Zuma Press]
After his release, Bout joined a pro-Kremlin far-right party. In 2023, he won a seat in a local assembly. Many thought he had turned away from arms dealing. However, in August, Houthi representatives visited Moscow to negotiate the purchase of $10 million worth of automatic weapons. They met Bout, a familiar face in the arms trade.
The potential arms deal includes small weapons but does not involve more advanced arms like missiles. Such missiles could threaten U.S. military operations in the region.
The Biden administration is concerned about Russia providing the Houthis with advanced weapons. This would be a response to U.S. support for Ukraine. However, there is no proof that such missiles have been sent or that Bout is involved in such deals.
Even small arms shipments to the Houthis would be opposed by the U.S. The U.S. has labeled the Houthis as a terrorist group. Arming a group involved in the Middle East conflict would also be a step up for Russia. Russia has been strengthening ties with Iran but has mostly avoided direct conflict between Israel and its Iranian-backed foes.
Steve Zissou, Bout's former attorney in the U.S., did not comment on whether Bout met with the Houthis.
He said that Bout has not been in the transportation business for over twenty years. Zissou added that if the Russian government allowed Bout to facilitate arms transfers to America's enemies, it would be like the U.S. sending arms to Russia's foes.
In an interview with the Russian news agency TASS, Bout called the claims of him selling arms to the Houthis untrue. He did not say whether he had returned to the arms business.
The small arms deal Bout is said to be working on involves two Houthi representatives. They traveled to Moscow, pretending to buy pesticides and vehicles. They even visited a car factory. It is unclear if the Kremlin authorized this deal or just approved it. The Houthis want Russian-made weapons, but the specific source for these arms remains unknown.
[Image credit: Russian State Media/AFP/Getty Images]
A Houthi spokesman refused to comment, and the Kremlin did not reply to requests for information. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the reports as fake news.
The first two shipments in the potential deal would mainly include AK-74s, an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle. During their Moscow visit, the Houthi representatives also discussed other weapons the Russians might sell, like Kornet anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft weapons.
If the deal goes through, deliveries could start as early as October. They would arrive at the port of Hodeidah, disguised as food supplies. Russia has already delivered grain there.
When Bout was released in December 2022, U.S. officials called it a tough choice. They believed it was the only way to bring Griner home from a Russian prison. They noted that Bout had already served 12 years in jail. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. assessed the risks of Bout's release and found them acceptable.
“We believe we can manage those challenges,” Sullivan said. He also warned that there are many arms traffickers and mercenaries in Russia.
Since his release, Bout has often appeared on Russian television. He discusses Russian politics and criticizes the U.S., which he claims wants to weaken Russia. He has been quoted as an expert in arms dealing.
Bout claimed he kept a picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin on his wall while in a U.S. prison. He has openly supported the invasion of Ukraine. If he successfully sells arms to the Houthis, it would continue his long career of dealing weapons to controversial customers.
Bout was born in 1967 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, then part of the Soviet Union. He worked as a military translator and learned several languages. After the Soviet Union fell, he bought Russian military cargo planes. He used them to transport U.N. peacekeepers in Africa.
Bout gained public attention in 2005 when the U.S. sanctioned him for trading weapons for diamonds with former Liberian President Charles Taylor. He was also accused of violating international arms embargoes.
In 2008, Bout was arrested in Thailand in a U.S. sting operation. He was convicted in 2011 for conspiring to kill Americans and trying to sell weapons to Colombian rebels. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
The Houthis have attacked international shipping and launched drone and missile strikes against Israel. The U.S. and Israel have responded with airstrikes, including one on Friday that hit 15 Houthi targets.
