Merchant of Death Strikes Again? Russian Arms Dealer Connected to $10M Rifle Deal for Houthis

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer who was released in 2022 as part of a deal to free two Americans, has now been linked to the sale of rifles to Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Bout, often referred to as the “Merchant of Death,” is originally from Russia and gained notoriety for his extensive involvement in arms trafficking across global conflict zones worldwide. He served as the real-life inspiration for the character played by Nicolas Cage in the Hollywood film Lord of War. In 2012, U.S. authorities charged him with attempting to sell weapons to the Colombian leftist group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, resulting in a 25-year prison sentence in Illinois. However, Bout was released in 2022 as part of a deal to free WNBA player Brittney Griner and corporate security executive Paul Whelan, both detained in Russia.

After his return to Russia in December 2022, Bout appeared to have settled into a new life by joining a pro-Kremlin far-right party and winning a seat in the local council in 2023.

However, when a Houthi delegation visited in August for automatic weapons negotiations, they were greeted by a Russian delegation.

During their visit, the Houthi delegation sought to acquire rifles valued at $10 million. While these weapons have not yet been delivered, the discussions did not involve anti-ship or surface-to-air missile sales, which the U.S. has been monitoring.

Throughout this period, Russia has strengthened its ties with Iran while avoiding direct involvement in the regional conflicts tied to Israel and Iran. The WSJ speculated that this deal could signal growing strain on Russia’s position in the region.

Bout’s attorney in the U.S. declined to comment on these allegations but stressed that his client had not been involved in arms transportation for over 20 years. His lawyer further questioned the double standard, arguing, “Even if the Russian government permitted the transfer of weapons to one of America’s adversaries, how is that different from the U.S. government sending arms and weapons of mass destruction to Ukraine.”

Although details about the negotiations remain unclear, the WSJ reported that the initial two shipments involved upgraded versions of the AK-47 assault rifle, known as the AK-74, and that the Houthi delegation expressed interest in anti-aircraft weapons, including Kornet anti-tank missiles.