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Chinese nationals sanctioned and charged with laundering over $100 million in cryptocurrency from hacked exchange
On March 2, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Orders 13694, 13757, and 13722 against two Chinese nationals for allegedly laundering over $100 million in stolen cryptocurrency connected to a North Korean state-sponsored cyber group that hacked cryptocurrency exchanges in 2018. According to OFAC, the two individuals “materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, a malicious cyber-enabled activity” or in support of the North Korean cyber group, which was designated by OFAC last September (covered by InfoBytes here). OFAC stated that it closely coordinated its action with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division. As a result of the sanctions, “all property and interests in property of these individuals that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.” OFAC further noted that its regulations “generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within the United States (including transactions transiting the United States) that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons,” and warned foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitating significant transactions or providing significant financial services to the designated individuals may subject them to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through sanctions.
On the same day, the DOJ unsealed a two-count indictment against the two individuals, charging them with money laundering conspiracy and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. The indictment claims that the individuals converted virtual currency traceable to the hack of a cryptocurrency exchange into fiat currency or prepaid Apple iTunes gift cards through accounts in various exchanges linked to Chinese banks and then transferred the currency or gift cards to customers for a fee. According to the indictment, neither individual was registered as a money transmitting business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which is a federal felony offense. The complaint seeks forfeiture of 113 virtual currency accounts belonging to the individuals.
Venezuela’s state-owned airline subject to OFAC sanctions
On February 7, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it identified a previously blocked state-owned Venezuelan airline and its fleet of aircraft pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13884. The entities—subject to sanctions under E.O. 13884, which blocks property of the Venezuelan government—have been added to OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List. According to OFAC’s press release, the commercial airline and its fleet have been used by Venezuela’s illegitimate government “to promote its own political agenda, including shuttling regime officials to countries such as North Korea, Cuba, and Iran.” OFAC observed that Venezuelan citizens may still travel by air on a number of other airlines that provide domestic service as well as service to and from Venezuela. OFAC also reiterated that its “regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons.”
OFAC sanctions entities for aiding North Korea’s exportation of workers
On January 14, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced it was imposing sanctions on a North Korean trading corporation and a China-based North Korean lodging facility for facilitating North Korea’s practice of sending laborers abroad. According to OFAC, North Korea’s continued practice of exporting North Koreans as illicit laborers is an ongoing attempt to undermine and evade United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The designated companies’ exportation of workers on behalf of the country, OFAC stated, has generated revenue for the North Korean government or the Workers’ Party of Korea. As a result of the sanctions, “all property and interests in property of these targets that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.” OFAC noted that its regulations “generally prohibit” U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons, and warned foreign financial institutions that if they knowingly facilitate significant transactions for any of the designated individuals, they may be subject to U.S. secondary sanctions.
OFAC sanctions North Korean cyber groups
On September 13, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13722 against three North Korean state-sponsored cyber groups allegedly responsible for North Korea’s malicious cyber activity on critical infrastructure around the world. OFAC cited cyber attacks using phishing and backdoor intrusions, targeting a range of organizations that included financial institutions. In addition to malicious cyber activities on conventional financial institutions and major companies, North Korea’s cyber operations also targeted Virtual Asset Providers and cryptocurrency exchanges “to possibly assist in obfuscating revenue streams and cyber-enabled thefts that also potentially fund North Korea’s WMD and ballistic missile programs.” As a result of the sanctions, “all property and interests in property of these individuals and entities that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.” OFAC noted that its regulations “generally prohibit” U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons, and warned foreign financial institutions that if they knowingly facilitate significant transactions for any of the designated individuals, they may be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions.
OFAC designates shipping network for aiding North Korea
On August 30, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced additions to the Specially Designated Nationals List pursuant to Executive Order 13810. The additions identify two Taiwanese individuals and three entities, as well as one Hong Kong-based vessel identified as blocked property, for allegedly facilitating the delivery of fuel originally intended for the Philippines to North Korean vessels via ship-to-ship transfers. According to OFAC, the additions highlight “North Korea’s continued use of illicit ship-to-ship (STS) transfers to circumvent United Nations . . . sanctions that restrict the import of petroleum products, as well as the U.S. Government’s commitment to implement existing UN Security Council Resolutions.” As a result of the sanctions, “all property and interests in property of these individuals and entities that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.” OFAC noted that its regulations “generally prohibit” U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons, and warned foreign financial institutions that if they knowingly facilitate significant transactions for any of the designated individuals, they may be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions.
OFAC designates North Korean operative working in Vietnam
On July 29, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the addition of a North Korean individual operating in Vietnam to the Specially Designated Nationals List pursuant to Executive Order 13687. According to OFAC, the individual works on behalf of the Munitions Industry Department (MID), a Workers’ Party of Korea subordinate, and was responsible for trade activity that earned currency for the North Korean regime, which violates the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) and supports North Korea’s weapons program. OFAC notes that its regulations “generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within the United States that involve” transactions with the designated entities and individuals. Moreover, OFAC warned foreign financial institutions that if they knowingly facilitate significant transactions for any of the designated entities or individuals, they may be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions which, if imposed, could restrict their access to the U.S. financial system.
OFAC targets Russian facilitators of illicit North Korean transactions
On June 19, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced its decision to sanction a Russian financial entity, pursuant to Executive Order 13382, for allegedly “having provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, technological, or other support for, or goods or services” on behalf of an entity that is owned and controlled by North Korea’s primary foreign exchange bank. According to OFAC, since at least 2017 and continuing through 2018, the Russian entity has provided multiple accounts to the North Korean entity, which has “enabled North Korea to circumvent U.S. and UN sanctions to gain access to the global financial system in order to generate revenue for the Kim regime’s nuclear program.” Pursuant to OFAC’s sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated persons within U.S. jurisdiction must be blocked and reported to OFAC. OFAC notes that its regulations “generally prohibit” U.S. persons from participating in transactions with these individuals and entities.
OFAC identifies non-U.S. financial institutions on new list of banks facing correspondent account sanctions
On March 14, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the introduction of the List of Foreign Financial Institutions Subject to Correspondent Account or Payable-Through Account Sanctions (CAPTA list). The CAPTA list will identify foreign financial institutions that are prohibited from opening or maintaining correspondent or payable-through accounts in the U.S. pursuant to sanctions including the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, North Korea Sanctions Regulations, Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations, and the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015. Certain regulations have also been amended to reflect the issuance of the new list. OFAC notes that the CAPTA list, which is separate from the Specially Designated Nationals List, will identify the specific prohibitions or strict conditions to which foreign financial institutions are subject. Non-U.S. financial institutions engaging in activity targeted under the above-mentioned regulations risk being added to the CAPTA list.
OFAC reaches settlement with U.S. cosmetics company for alleged North Korean sanctions violations
On January 31, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced a $996,080 settlement with a California-based cosmetics company for 156 alleged violations of the North Korean Sanctions Regulations. According to OFAC, the settlement resolves potential civil liability for the company’s alleged involvement in the importation of goods from two Chinese suppliers containing materials sourced from North Korea.
In arriving at the settlement amount, OFAC considered the following as aggravating factors: (i) the alleged violations may have resulted in the North Korean government gaining control of U.S.-origin funds; (ii) the company is “large and commercially sophisticated [and] engages in a substantial volume of international trade”; and (iii) during the period of the alleged activity, the company’s compliance program, which was either non-existent or inadequate, failed to have “exercised sufficient supply chain due diligence” in its sourcing of products from a region posing a high risk to the effectiveness of the North Korean Sanctions Regulations.
Visit here for additional InfoBytes coverage on North Korea sanctions.
OFAC targets individual accused of offering sanctions evasion advice to North Korean company
On November 19, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced an addition to the Specially Designated Nationals List pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13722. The addition identifies one individual found to have offered advice on evading U.S. sanctions that ultimately assisted third party companies in the illicit purchase of fuel and gas oil for North Korea. In addition, OFAC also cites to a 2017 DOJ complaint concerning the companies’ alleged participation in laundering millions of dollars connected to North Korea. As a result, all assets belonging to the identified individual that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with him.
See here for previous InfoBytes coverage on North Korean sanctions.