Konstantin Malofeev, a Russian businessman hit by US sanctions, on Thursday accused the United States of trying to steal $5.4 million from him, saying he would sue Russia, where his rights are protected, Reuters reported.

US prosecutors can seize $5.4 million belonging to Malofeev, a New York court ruled last week, clearing the way for the funds to be used to help rebuild Ukraine.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Paul Gardef in federal court in Manhattan was the first order to seize assets of a Russian oligarch since the Justice Department created a task force in 2022 to seize the finances of allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Malofeev said that his lawsuit in the American court should be called “Malofeev v. United States.”

“But such a trial is impossible there: there is no justice in the USA,” he wrote in Telegram. “None of the robbed investors can defend their rights there.”

Because Malofeev did not contest the forfeiture request, prosecutors said last week that the funds should be forfeited by default.

“As a citizen of Russia, a country with a thousand-year history of justice, I will not file a lawsuit in an American court,” Malofeev said.

“Our laws are designed to protect our rights and I will be contacting the appropriate authorities where I live.”

It was unclear whether the Russian court’s ruling in Malofeev’s favor would affect the US case.

The US authorities accused Malofeev, the owner of the Orthodox Tsargrad TV channel, of financing separatists in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Malofeev, who denied funding the separatists, was sanctioned by Washington in 2014, and in 2022 he was accused of violating sanctions.