Can I pay a Russian contractor? Can I get in trouble for it?

grizzly_beer · 12-09-2022 6:42pm #1

I am a sole trader who makes computer games. I want to work with a Russian friend of mine.

Firstly I want to pay him. secondly I want to send him or buy him a mac-mini and a iphone so he can do the work (we need to build for iOS)

So with the sanctions doing this is obviously difficult.

Question 1: Lets say I find some money transfer service that works eg. bitcoin.. can I get in trouble from Irish government for doing so? Do we have sanction enforcement on our end for insignificant transactions like this?

Question 2: To avoid all this, we might just arrange it so he remotes into my mac to do the work, and I just wait until sanctions are over or he moves to another country to pay him, would that be ok or could I get into trouble for that?

Thanks.

Gloomtastic! · 13-09-2022 1:35pm

I have no idea on the legality of what you're doing but I do know by sending him the equipment to carry out the job you could, in the eyes of revenue, be seen to be employing him as opposed to using him as a contractor.

There are companies set up to deal with paying russian contractors at the moment. Easystaff and Deel are two I found via Google. How legit they are, I have no idea so tread carefully.

Mick Tator · 16-09-2022 12:49pm

This is not a business question, it is one of ethics. Do you have any?

Sanctions were imposed for a purpose. Russia must suffer economic hurt until it stops its criminal behaviour, its population must be made aware of the opprobrium in which its actions and leadership is held. Ordinary Russians must learn the truth. Go tell you ‘friend’ why you will not (not ‘cannot’) deal with him.

Have you heard of contagion? If not, it means the smelly stuff in your business partner rubs off on you. Try working with or selling your product in the EU or the US after you are caught sanctions busting.

Legally your position is indefensible, morally your position is unjustifiable and your question on how to avoid sanctions is reprehensible. The war in Ukraine is not a shootemup game - it is real.

Gloomtastic! · 16-09-2022 11:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119625928#Comment_119625928

The guy’s just trying to help someone who just so happens to be in Ukraine. I doubt he has had any input whatsoever in the conflict.

Mick Tator · 17-09-2022 11:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628964#Comment_119628964

No Gloomer, that’s not correct. There is no mention of the contractor being in Ukraine. The OP is actually tagged ‘Russia’ and Russian payment’. The Russian contractor should be told why he is not going to get the work now and when he will get it.

Every outside act that highlights Russian criminality is important. That is how the truth overcomes Kremlin propaganda. Even small actions (like refusing to deal with a Russian contractor while Ukraine is occupied) help explain the phenomenal growth of the Russian blogosphere. That is how factual news, the international outcry and contempt, are being learned within Russia. All lead to a growing opposition to corrupt Putin and his cronies.

erlichbachman · 17-09-2022 11:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119625928#Comment_119625928

Ahh here

Gloomtastic! · 17-09-2022 12:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119630115#Comment_119630115

Apologies, you’re right, he’s in Russia, not Ukraine.

OP please include ‘Please don’t be a XXXX like Putin’ on all correspondence to your contractor. That’ll teach him.

bad2thebone · 17-09-2022 12:15pm

Similar to the time the middle east was invaded because someone who had no weapons of mass destruction had weapons of mass destruction.

We didn't buy anything from the invading parties. We had higher inflation and energy rates. Fuel was blocked from entering our port's. We lived on olive's and couscous, we also supplied Saddam with beef during his legal Iran Iraq war.

We always do the right thing,even though we don't do the right thing.

Funny how we're supposed to support the latest thing when it's one shade and we ignore it when it's a different shade. Shower of hypocrites in this country. Hotels online in the Ukraine advertising weekend staycation, but not looking after their own. But I'm a liar aren't I. Putin bad Zelensky good.... didn't Zelensky overthrow a democratically elected government. But in order to deny that we have to pretend it didn't happen.

We opened our borders to Shia's, Christians and Yazidis fleeing the onslaught from the Sunni armies during the Syrian war. We put them up in hotels and our homes. Even though we didn't.

I say to you OP feck what anyone thinks, friends are there to help each other, if anyone has a problem make an NPC character out of them in your computer game.

17-09-2022 12:47pm

You can remain friends, but not by supplying him work, far too much a stake. Could be the worst move you would ever make for all the reasons suggested by posters above.

17-09-2022 1:09pm

Yes. No.

Gloomtastic! · 17-09-2022 7:42pm

Thread closed because it’s showing the possibility of turning into a troll fest.

Good luck with your dilemma OP and don’t let the bastards get you down.

The Gloomster!

Can I pay a Russian contractor? Can I get in trouble for it?

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