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OFAC Publishes Venezuela Sanctions Regulations
On July 10, OFAC published regulations to implement the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 and Executive Order 13692. The Act required the President to impose targeted sanctions on certain persons determined to be responsible for significant acts of violence or serious human rights abuses against antigovernment protesters in Venezuela, and to have ordered, or otherwise directed, the arrest or prosecution of certain persons in Venezuela. The Executive Order set forth standards for designating and suspending entry into the United States of corresponding persons in Venezuela. The regulations provide the framework for blocking property or interests in property of persons designated according to the Executive Order. According to OFAC, the regulations are currently in “abbreviated form” and the agency will issue a more comprehensive set of regulations that may provide further interpretive guidance, general licenses, and statements of licensing policy.
OFAC Provides Overview of Agreement with Iran Regarding Sanctions Relief
On July 14, OFAC released a statement regarding the agreement reached with Iran over its nuclear program. Following months of diplomacy, OFAC stated that the P5 + 1 reached a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran regarding Iran’s nuclear program to ensure that it is exclusively peaceful going forward. Once the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verifies that Iran has implemented key nuclear-related measures described in the JCPOA (“Implementation Day”), “U.S. sanctions relief will be provided through the suspension and eventual termination of nuclear-related secondary sanctions.” The P5 + 1 and Iran also concluded on July 14 that the sanctions relief provided for in the JPOA of November 24, 2013 would be extended through Implementation Day; until further notice, the JPOA sanctions relief will be the only Iran-related sanctions relief in effect. The White House issued a description of the agreement to demonstrate how the long-term comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran “will verifiably prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and ensure that Iran’s nuclear program will be exclusively peaceful going forward.” Finally, as decided on July 14, licenses with the following credentials will remain in effect in accordance with their terms until Implementation Day: (i) Issued by OFAC’s Second Amended Statement of Licensing Policy on Activities Related to the Safety of Iran’s Civil Aviation Industry; and (ii) set to expire on or before July 14, 2015. OFAC stated that the U.S. government will publish detailed guidance related to the JCPOA prior to Implementation Day, and will issue revised guidance on the continued JPOA relief shortly.
Update: OFAC Releases Guidance on the Continuation of Certain Temporary Sanctions Relief Under the JPOA
On July 10, the P5 + 1, and Iran agreed to extend the JPOA for three days to further negotiations in reaching a comprehensive solution surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. As a result, OFAC issued updated guidance informing that all JPOA sanctions relief detailed in the Guidance, FAQs, and Statement of License Policy issued in November 2014 has been extended through July 13, 2015. This updated guidance replaces guidance previously issued by OFAC on July 7, 2015.
Update: OFAC Releases Guidance on the Continuation of Certain Temporary Sanctions Relief Under the JPOA
On July 7, the P5 + 1, EU, and Iran agreed to extend the JPOA for three days to further negotiations in reaching a comprehensive solution surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. As a result, OFAC issued updated guidance informing that all JPOA sanctions relief detailed in the Guidance, FAQs, and Statement of License Policy issued in November 2014 has been extended through July 10, 2015. This updated guidance replaces guidance previously issued by OFAC on June 30, 2015.
OFAC Releases Guidance on the Continuation of Certain Temporary Sanctions Relief Under the JPOA
On June 30, the P5 + 1, European Union, and Iran agreed to extend the Joint Plan of Action for seven days, furthering negotiations to reach a solution to reduce Iran’s nuclear program. In conjunction with the announcement of the seven day extension, OFAC published Guidance on the Continuation of Certain Temporary Sanctions Relief Implementing the Joint Plan of Action, as Extended. The guidance continues the JPOA sanctions relief period, provided in November 2014 as implemented via Guidance, FAQs, and Statement of Licensing Policy, from June 30 through July 7, 2015.
Federal Reserve Orders Two Financial Institutions to Improve BSA/AML Compliance Programs
On June 1, a Boston-based international financial services holding company and its banking subsidiary agreed to address deficiencies in how they manage compliance risks with respect to their BSA/AML compliance program. The Agreement, entered into with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the Massachusetts Division of Banks, requires both entities to submit a written plan outlining their efforts to improve their compliance with OFAC and internal controls, customer due-diligence procedures, and suspicious activity monitoring and reporting, among other things. In addition, the banking subsidiary must hire an independent third-party to review account and transaction activity during a specified period to ensure suspicious activity was properly identified and reported.
In a separate enforcement action, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago entered into an agreement on May 26 with an Illinois-based financial services company, requiring the parent company and its banking subsidiary to, among other things, submit written plans to (i) strengthen its BSA/AML compliance risk management program; and (ii) “ensure the identification and timely, accurate, and complete reporting” of suspicious transactions to the appropriate law enforcement and supervisory [banking] authorities.” No civil money penalties were imposed in either enforcement action.
FinCEN Names Jamal El-Hindi as New Deputy Director
On May 21, FinCEN announced Jamal El-Hindi as its new Deputy Director. Since January 2015, El-Hindi has been serving as the agency’s acting Deputy Director, and previously served as Associate Deputy Director for the Policy Division. Prior to joining FinCEN in June 2006, El-Hindi oversaw OFAC’s Compliance Outreach Division, Licensing and Policy Division as the Associate Director for Program Policy and Implementation, and was an Attorney-Advisor in the Office of Chief Counsel (Foreign Assets Control) within Treasury’s Office of General Counsel, serving on economic sanctions programs as a legal advisor. In his role as FinCEN’s Deputy Director, El-Hindi will work alongside law enforcement, intelligence, financial, and regulatory communities “to ensure the effective coordination of anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing initiatives.”
OFAC Publishes Guidance Regarding Travel Between U.S. and Cuba, Releases Updated FAQs Regarding Cuba-Related Sanctions
On May 5, OFAC issued new Guidance Regarding Travel Between the U.S. and Cuba, which provides information on the types of individuals and cargo that can be transported between the U.S. and Cuba by a licensed air carrier or commercial passenger vessel. With respect to individuals, the guidance addressed persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction, Cuban nationals, and other individuals, including foreign nationals, travelling on official government business. The guidance regarding cargo addressed, among other things, alcohol and tobacco products. In a separate announcement released on April 16 (and later updated on May 5), OFAC issued new and updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR). The updated FAQs follow a January 15 announcement in which OFAC issued a final rule amending the CACR to reflect policy changes previously announced by President Obama in 2014.
Preliminary Framework Agreed Upon to Reduce Iran's Nuclear Program
On April 2, the United States, along with the U.K., France, Germany, Russia, China, and the EU (the “P5+1”), agreed with Iran on a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (“JCPOA”). The JCPOA is a preliminary framework to reduce Iran’s nuclear program, and details key parameters to provide the foundation upon which a final JCPOA is intended to be agreed by June 30, 2015. The framework includes five key components: (i) Enrichment, (ii) Inspections and Transparency, (iii) Reactors and Reprocessing, (iv) Sanctions Relief, and (v) Phasing. In particular, the sanctions relief will not be immediate and, instead, linked to verifiable measures Iran takes with respect to its commitments under the JCPOA. In addition, sanctions relief is specific to a suspension of nuclear-related sanctions. Importantly, the structure of such sanctions will remain in place, allowing for a “snap-back” of sanctions in the event of significant non-performance. U.S. sanctions with respect to terrorism, human rights abuses and ballistic missiles will remain in place against Iran.
OFAC Announces Settlement with Money Services Business for Violations of Sanctions Programs
On March 23, Department of the Treasury’s OFAC announced a settlement agreement with a large money services business (MSB) for failing to implement an effective compliance program “to identify, interdict, and prevent transactions in apparent violation of the sanctions programs administered by OFAC.” According to the settlement, prior to the MSB’s 2013 “long term solution” to screen its transactions in real time against OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (the “SDN List”), deficiencies in the company’s transaction monitoring compliance procedures allowed for the processing of hundreds of transactions with OFAC-sanctioned individuals and countries. Specifically, OFAC alleged that from October 20, 2009 to April 1, 2013, the MSB processed over 100 transactions to or from an account registered to an individual on the SDN List because its “automated interdiction filter” did not initially identify the account holder as a potential match to the SDN List, and when it did, the MSB Operations Agents dismissed alerts on six separate occasions after failing to obtain or review documentation corroborating the identity of the SDN. Under the terms of the agreement, the MSB will (i) pay over $7 million to the Department of the Treasury and (ii) within six months, provide OFAC a summary of the company’s current policies and procedures as they relate to screening transactions and/or customers” to ensure compliance with OFAC regulations.