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OFAC Levies Penalty for Violations of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations
On July 29, OFAC announced that it levied a $82,260 civil penalty against Blue Robin, Inc. for violating certain provisions of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. According to OFAC, from 2009 through 2010, Blue Robin conducted 33 transactions valued at over $200,000, where Blue Robin imported web development services from PersiaBMW, an Iranian company. The services rendered by PersiaBMW were used to develop web-based systems and applications to streamline online business processes and operations for Blue Robin’s customers. In its consideration of the penalty amount, OFAC determined that “Blue Robin acted recklessly because it knew it was importing services from an Iranian company over a period of more than five years, it sent payments through unlicensed money exchangers instead of through traditional commercial banking channels, and it appears that the company did not take any steps to research the legality of funds transfers to Iran or the importation of services from Iran until after it lost contact with its unlicensed money exchanger.” Nevertheless, due to Blue Robin’s self-disclosure and substantial cooperation with OFAC’s investigation, the penalty amount imposed against Blue Ribbon was below the base penalty amount for the violations.
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.
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.
DOJ Enters Into Plea Agreement with Oil Company For Violating U.S. Sanctions Laws
On March 25, the DOJ entered into a plea agreement with an oil company that agreed to pay over $230 million and plead guilty for facilitating illegal transactions and participating in trade activities with Iran and Sudan. According to the DOJ, from 2004 through 2010, the oil company’s subsidiaries provided oilfield services to customers in Iran and Sudan, and failed to adhere to U.S. sanctions against Iran and Sudan and enforce internal compliance procedures, resulting in a conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Pending court approval, among other stipulations, the plea agreement also requires the oil company to (i) cease all operations in Iran and Sudan during the probation period; (ii) submit to a three-year period of corporate probation and agree to continue to cooperate with the government and not commit any additional felony violations of U.S. Federal law; and (iii) respond to requests to disclose information related to the company’s compliance with U.S. sanctions laws when requested by U.S. authorities.
New York DFS Takes Action Against Bank for BSA/AML Compliance Deficiencies
On March 12, the New York DFS issued a consent order against a Germany-based global bank for alleged Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering (BSA/AML) compliance violations that occurred between 2002 and 2008. According to the DFS’s press release, certain bank employees were selected “to manually process Iranian transactions — specifically, to strip from SWIFT payment messages any identifying information that could trigger OFAC-related controls and possibly lead to delay or outright rejection of the transaction in the United States.” The DFS also alleges that the bank’s New York branch failed to implement proper BSA/AML compliance thresholds, allowing certain alerts regarding suspicious transactions to be excluded. Under the terms of the consent order, the bank must pay a $1.45 billion penalty, to be distributed as follows: $610 million to the DFS; $300 million to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; $200 million to the Federal Reserve; $172 million to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office; and $172 million to the U.S. DOJ. Additionally, the order requires that the bank “terminate individual employees who engaged in misconduct, and install an independent monitor for Banking Law violations in connection with transactions on behalf of Iran, Sudan, and a Japanese corporation that engaged in accounting fraud.”
NY DFS Takes Action Against Foreign Bank Regarding Transactions with Sanctioned Countries
On November 18, the New York DFS announced a consent order with a foreign bank for allegedly misleading regulators regarding its transactions with sanctioned countries, most notably Iran, Sudan, and Myanmar. According to the press release and consent order, from approximately 2007 through 2008, the bank convinced a consulting firm to “water down” reports submitted to regulators on its transactions. Specifically, the bank pressured the consulting firm to alter an historic transaction review (HTR) report to exclude key information, such as: (i) the English translation of the bank’s wire transfer instructions, which included a statement that the bank conducted business with “’enemy countries’ of the U.S.;” (ii) a majority of the consultant’s description of the bank’s wire transfer activities; and (iii) information “concerning [the bank’s] potential misuse of OFAC screening software” in connection with its wire transfer activities. The DFS ordered the bank to pay $315 million in penalties, in addition to the $250 million the DFS ordered the bank to pay June 2013 in connection with its sanctioned transactions.
OFAC Fines Commodity Trading Advisor for Apparent Sanctions Violations
On September 9, OFAC released an enforcement action against a CFTC-registered Introducing Broker and Commodity Trading Advisor that operates an electronic trading platform that allows customers to automatically place currency foreign exchange (FX) trades with broker-dealers. The company agreed to pay $200,000 to settle potential civil liability for apparent violations of Iran, Syria, and Sudan sanctions rules. According to OFAC, over “a number of years” the company maintained accounts for over 400 persons in Iran, Sudan, and Syria, and exported services to these customers by placing FX trades via its platform. The company also (i) originated eight funds transfers totaling $10,264.36 destined for two individuals located in Iran; and (ii) failed to screen or otherwise monitor its customer base for OFAC compliance purposes at the time of the apparent violations. OFAC determined that the company did not voluntarily self-disclose the apparent violations, and that the apparent violations constitute a non-egregious case. The base penalty for the apparent violations was $844,090,000. The lower settlement amount reflects OFAC’s consideration of the matter’s facts and circumstances, including the following mitigating factors: (i) the company is small with limited business operations; (ii) the company has taken remedial action in response to the apparent violations; (iii) the company has not received a penalty notice or Finding of Violation in the five years preceding the earliest date of the transactions giving rise to the apparent violations; and (iv) the company substantially cooperated with OFAC’s investigation.