A Russian woman who has been living and working in Canada for the last eight years says her money is locked in limbo due to sanctions against Russia91裸聊视频檚 largest bank, so she91裸聊视频檚 taking Scotiabank and the Canadian government to court.

Daria Zubashchenko91裸聊视频檚 legal action indicates it91裸聊视频檚 not just oligarchs who are caught up in Canada91裸聊视频檚 financial sanctions, which were imposed in response to Russia91裸聊视频檚 invasion of Ukraine.

Her lawyer said others have come to him for similar reasons 91裸聊视频� but the amounts involved were too small to even justify going to court.

Zubashchenko filed two applications in Federal Court last month, one against the Bank of Nova Scotia, the other naming Global Affairs Canada and the Attorney General as respondents.

She says she91裸聊视频檚 a Russian citizen who has been living in Canada since 2016, holding a work permit and filing taxes each year.

She graduated from Simon Fraser University with a psychology degree in 2021, and that year, court documents say, she and her mother sold two properties in Russia.

Zubashchenko91裸聊视频檚 share was nearly $324,000, and in February 2022, the documents say she tried to wire about US$90,000 to her account at the Bank of Nova Scotia from her account at Russia91裸聊视频檚 Sberbank, which was sanctioned by Canada.

The funds, she claims, never made it into her Canadian account, and she learned in May 2022 after inquiring with Sberbank that the wire transfer had been blocked under Canada91裸聊视频檚 Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations.

About a month later, Zubashchenko91裸聊视频檚 court application says Scotiabank told her the funds were 91裸聊视频渂eing held and disclosed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police91裸聊视频� under the sanctions regulations, and it told her she could apply for a permit to release the money from Global Affairs Canada.

The court documents say her lawyer sent a letter telling Scotiabank that the sanctions don91裸聊视频檛 apply to her, but its 91裸聊视频渆scalated customer concerns office91裸聊视频� allegedly refused to release the funds without a permit from Global Affairs.

Seva Batkin with Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 Fraser Litigation Group said he couldn91裸聊视频檛 comment on his client91裸聊视频檚 situation, but others who have contacted him about money being held-up due to sanctions are 91裸聊视频渁ll in essentially the same boat.91裸聊视频�

Batkin said he91裸聊视频檇 had two other people come to him with similar issues, but the relatively small amounts meant the matters had not made it to court.

An appeal to Scotiabank91裸聊视频檚 customer complaints appeals office was also unsuccessful, and Zubashchenko91裸聊视频檚 application alleges the bank again refused to release the funds in October this year claiming it was 91裸聊视频渞equired by the Canadian government to freeze and withhold any payment involving Sberbank.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e sympathize with your client91裸聊视频檚 situation, however Scotiabank is obligated to freeze this payment because of the sanctions on the bank the payment was initiated from,91裸聊视频� the bank91裸聊视频檚 decision said. 91裸聊视频淎t this time, there is nothing further Scotiabank can do with respect to releasing the funds as the Bank is following its legal obligations.91裸聊视频�

The applications say the bank said it was 91裸聊视频渦nable to assist91裸聊视频� with the permit process through Global Affairs, and though the agency has acknowledged her permit applications made in June 2022 and June 2024, it has allegedly 91裸聊视频渇ailed or refused to adjudicate91裸聊视频� them.

Zubashchenko91裸聊视频檚 applications say she isn91裸聊视频檛 subject to the sanctions and the funds did not benefit Sberbank in any way.

The regulations impose duties on banks to 91裸聊视频渄etermine91裸聊视频� if funds are owned or controlled by sanctioned people or entities, and to disclose information about any transactions involving them to the RCMP, the applications say.

91裸聊视频淐ontrary to the position taken by (Scotiabank), these provisions do not impose a duty on banks to withhold funds,91裸聊视频� Zubashchenko claims.

In an emailed statement, Scotiabank said it 91裸聊视频渃omplies with all applicable sanctions in the jurisdictions in which it operates. Given this matter is before the courts, we cannot comment further.91裸聊视频�

Global Affairs Canada said in an emailed statement that the minister of foreign affairs can grant permits to allow 91裸聊视频渟pecific transactions or activities, otherwise prohibited by Canadian sanctions, to take place.91裸聊视频�

The permits are only granted 91裸聊视频渋n exceptional circumstances and are assessed on a case-by-case basis,91裸聊视频� and they91裸聊视频檙e designed to 91裸聊视频渕itigate against possible unintended consequences of Canadian sanctions.91裸聊视频�

It said it can91裸聊视频檛 release information about permit applications to 91裸聊视频渞espect privacy and commercial confidentiality.91裸聊视频�