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  • Terrorist Financing Targeting Center members designate financial facilitators of terrorism

    Financial Crimes

    On June 6, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that member nations of the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) have jointly designated 16 individuals, entities, and groups affiliated with a variety of regional terrorist organizations. This marks the fifth year of coordinated TFTC sanctions actions targeting terrorist financing, Treasury stated. The sanctioned persons, who were all previously designated by the U.S., include three individuals associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, four ISIS-associated individuals and one company, six Boko Haram financiers, and two terrorist groups. The TFTC was created to counter regional money laundering and terrorist financing networks by “identifying, tracking, and sharing information about terrorist financing networks; coordinating joint disruptive actions; and offering capacity-building training and assistance in countering the financing of terrorism,” and serves to enhance multilateral efforts among the U.S. and the Gulf countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

    Financial Crimes Of Interest to Non-US Persons Department of Treasury OFAC OFAC Sanctions OFAC Designations Combating the Financing of Terrorism Anti-Money Laundering Terrorist Financing Targeting Center

  • SEC enters $78 million FCPA settlement with steel pipe manufacturer

    Securities

    On June 6, the SEC announced that a Luxembourg-based manufacturer and supplier of steel pipe products agreed to pay over $78 million to settle the SEC’s claims that it violated the anti-bribery, books and records, and internal accounting controls provisions of the FCPA and the Exchange Act. The settlement is the latest in the long-running investigation regarding Brazilian state-owned and controlled energy company Petrobras, and resolves allegations that agents and employees of the company’s Brazilian subsidiary paid approximately $10.4 million in bribes between 2008 and 2013 to obtain over $1 billion in new contracts and to retain existing business from Petrobras. The bribes were allegedly funded on behalf of the company through entities associated with its controlling shareholder and paid to Brazilian government officials in exchange for using their influence to persuade Petrobras to forego an international tender process. The DOJ closed its parallel investigation without charges.

    This is the second time the Luxembourg-based company has resolved FCPA charges with U.S. authorities, following 2011 resolutions with both the DOJ and SEC related to a state-owned entity in Uzbekistan. The company had been the first ever to enter into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the SEC.

    The current resolution involves a $25 million monetary penalty, as well as $42.8 million in disgorgement and over $10 million in prejudgment interest. The company neither admitted nor denied the allegations.

    Securities Financial Crimes SEC Enforcement FCPA Securities Exchange Act Bribery Of Interest to Non-US Persons Petrobras

  • OFAC sanctions individuals connected to Mexican cartels

    Financial Crimes

    On June 2, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 14059 against six individuals for engaging with a Mexico-based drug traffic organization. Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson stated that “[v]iolence and corruption have been critical to [the organization’s] growth in the past decade,” which has “fueled the cartel’s territorial expansion, and with it a greater capacity to traffic deadly drugs to the United States.” The sanctions are the result of a collaboration between Treasury, the Government of Mexico, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with support from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. As a result of the sanctions, the designated persons’ property located in the U.S. or held by U.S. persons is blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Additionally, OFAC regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons.

    Financial Crimes Department of Treasury OFAC Of Interest to Non-US Persons SDN List Mexico OFAC Sanctions OFAC Designations Drug Enforcement Administration

  • OFAC sanctions additional networks used by Russian elites, issues new Russia-related General Licenses

    Financial Crimes

    On June 2, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced additional sanctions pursuant to Executive Orders (E.O.) 14024, 13685, and 13661, against key networks used by Russian elites, including President Putin, that target “a Kremlin-aligned yacht brokerage, several prominent Russian government officials, and a close Putin associate and money-manager [] who is a custodian of President Putin’s offshore wealth.” OFAC’s announcement also identified “yachts and aircraft in which sanctioned Russian elites maintain interests.” The designations were taken in tandem with the Department of State (which imposed sanctions on five Russian oligarchs and elites) as well as the Department of Commerce (which added 71 new parties located in Russia and Belarus to its Entity List, thus “further restricting the Russian military’s ability to obtain technologies and other items it needs to sustain aggression and project power”).

    As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property belonging to the sanctioned persons in the U.S. are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Additionally, “any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.” OFAC noted that U.S. persons are prohibited from participating in transactions with the sanctioned persons unless authorized by a general or specific license.

    On the same day, OFAC issued several new Russia-related general licenses (GL): (i) GL 25B authorizes transactions related to telecommunications and certain internet-based communications that are otherwise prohibited by Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations; (ii) GL 36 and GL 37 authorize the wind down of transactions normally prohibited by E.O. 14024 involving an identified public joint stock company and a gold mining company respectively; and (iii) GL 38 authorizes transactions related to pension payments to U.S. persons that are normally prohibited by E.O. 14024 “provided that the only involvement of blocked persons is the processing of funds by financial institutions blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024.” Additionally, OFAC issued several new and amended Russia-related frequently asked questions.

    Financial Crimes Department of Treasury OFAC Of Interest to Non-US Persons OFAC Sanctions OFAC Designations Russia Ukraine Ukraine Invasion

  • OFAC issues FAQs related to securities investments in Chinese military companies

    Financial Crimes

    On June 1, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published three new frequently asked questions related to the Chinese military-industrial complex sanctions. As previously covered by InfoBytes, Executive Order 13959, as amended, addressed threats from securities investments that finance Communist Chinese military companies. The FAQs address questions pertaining to (i) whether U.S. financial institutions are required to block the attempted purchase or sale of covered securities after the relevant 365-day divestment period; (ii) whether U.S. financial institutions are permitted to process transactions for holders of covered securities related to stock splits, cash dividends, or dividend reinvestments; and (iii) whether U.S. persons are required to divest their holdings of covered securities before the end of the relevant 365-day divestment period.

    Financial Crimes China Of Interest to Non-US Persons Department of Treasury OFAC OFAC Sanctions OFAC Designations

  • OFAC sanctions entities connected to IRGC-QF

    Financial Crimes

    On May 25, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13224 against an international oil smuggling and money laundering network led by the  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). According to OFAC, the designated network, “has acted as a critical element of Iran’s oil revenue generation, as well as its support for proxy militant groups that continue to perpetuate conflict and suffering throughout the region.” As a result, all property, and interests in property of the designated individuals and entities, “and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, must be blocked and reported to OFAC.” U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with the designated persons. OFAC further warned that “engaging in certain transactions with the individuals and entities designated today entails risk of secondary sanctions.”

    Financial Crimes OFAC Department of Treasury Of Interest to Non-US Persons SDN List OFAC Sanctions OFAC Designations

  • OFAC reaches settlement with Puerto Rican bank to resolve Venezuela sanctions violations

    Financial Crimes

    On May 27, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced a $225,937 settlement with a Puerto Rican bank for allegedly violating the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. According to OFAC’s web notice, the bank allegedly processed 337 transactions totaling $853,126 on behalf of two low level employees of the Government of Venezuela (GoV). The apparent violations allegedly resulted from the bank’s maintenance of four personal accounts operated by these two employees that should have been blocked by Executive Order (E.O.) 13884 (which blocks property and interests in property of the GoV, including “‘any person owned or controlled, directly or indirectly,’ by the GoV, and ‘any person who has acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of’ any such entity”). OFAC stated that the two GoV individuals also did not meet the criteria for authorized transaction exemptions under General License 34A and found that the bank failed to identify the customers for 14 months following the issuance of E.O. 13884.

    In arriving at the settlement amount, OFAC considered various aggravating factors, including, among other things, that (i) the bank maintained documentation showing that the two individuals were low-level GoV employees but delayed identifying them; and (ii) the bank has more than $61 billion in assets. OFAC also considered various mitigating factors, including that the bank (i) took remedial action to ensure compliance with OFAC sanctions; (ii) created more robust sanctions-related procedures; (iii) developed additional resources and guidance in connection to sanctions alert review and disposition; (iv) added staff to oversee OFAC sanctions matters; (v) reviewed policies and procedures for identifying, reviewing, and reporting transactions that violate OFAC’s regulations; and (vi) enhanced its sanctions screening trainings. The bank also voluntarily self-disclosed the apparent violations to OFAC and cooperated with OFAC’s investigation.

    Providing context for the settlement, OFAC stated that this action “demonstrates the importance of financial institutions conducting timely due diligence…following the issuance of new sanctions prohibitions.”

    Financial Crimes Of Interest to Non-US Persons Department of Treasury OFAC Enforcement Settlement OFAC Sanctions OFAC Designations Puerto Rico Venezuela

  • OFAC sanctions North Koreans and issues Venezuela general license

    Financial Crimes

    On May 27, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382 against one individual, two banks, and a trading company connected to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs and to the U.S.-designated DPRK national airline. According to OFAC, the U.S. is “committed to seeking dialogue and diplomacy with the DPRK but will continue to address the threat posed by the DPRK’s unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs to the United States and the international community.” As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned individuals and entities subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. OFAC noted that its regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated person, including transactions transiting the U.S. OFAC’s announcement further warned that any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates significant transactions or provides significant financial services for any of the designated individuals or entities may be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions.

    The same day, OFAC issued Venezuela- related General License 8J, which authorizes certain transactions involving Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) that were previously prohibited under prior Executive Orders to the extent such transactions and activities are “necessary for the limited maintenance of essential operations in Venezuela or the wind down of operations in Venezuela for certain entities,” among other things.

    Financial Crimes Department of Treasury OFAC Of Interest to Non-US Persons SDN List OFAC Sanctions OFAC Designations North Korea Venezuela

  • OFAC issues new Russia-related general license, will not renew general license concerning debt or equity dealings with certain Russian financial institutions

    Financial Crimes

    On May 25, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Russia-related General License (GL) 13A, “Authorizing Certain Administrative Transactions Prohibited by Directive 4 under Executive Order 14024.” Specifically, GL 13A permits U.S. persons, or entities owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a U.S. person “to pay taxes, fees, or import duties, and purchase or receive permits, licenses, registrations, or certifications” for certain transactions normally prohibited by Directive 4, “provided such transactions are ordinarily incident and necessary to the day-to-day operations in the Russian Federation of such U.S. persons or entities.” GL 13A expires September 30 at 12:01 am EDT.

    The day before, OFAC announced that provisions of GL 9C, issued pursuant to the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations (RuHSR), will not be renewed. As previously covered by InfoBytes, GL 9C was issued last month to authorize transactions “ordinarily incident and necessary to dealings in debt or equity” issued before February 24, 2022 involving certain Russian financial institutions that would otherwise be prohibited by the RuHSR. GL 9C expires on May 25 at 12:01 am EDT.

    Financial Crimes Of Interest to Non-US Persons Department of Treasury OFAC OFAC Designations OFAC Sanctions Russia

  • OFAC sanctions Hizballah financial facilitator

    Financial Crimes

    On May 19, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13224 against a Lebanese businessman and Hizballah financial facilitator, as well as five of his associates and eight of his companies in Lebanon and Iraq. According to OFAC, the sanctions “illuminate[] Hizballah’s modus operandi of using the cover of seemingly legitimate businesses to generate revenue and leverage commercial investments across a multitude of sectors to secretly fund Hizballah and its terrorist activities.” OFAC also highlighted Hizballah’s practice of building “a web of businesses” with “opaque ownership structures” to “hide its activities and generate funds for its destabilizing activities.” According to Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson, the “designation of this network demonstrates the U.S. government’s commitment to protect Lebanon’s private sector and financial system from Hizballah’s abuse by targeting and exposing the group’s financial activities.”

    As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated individuals and entities within U.S. jurisdiction must be blocked and reported to OFAC. OFAC further noted that its regulations “generally prohibit” U.S. persons or persons within the U.S. from participating in transactions with the designated persons unless exempt or authorized by a general or specific OFAC license. OFAC also warned that the agency “can prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducted or facilitated any significant transaction on behalf of [a Specially Designated Global Terrorist] or, among other things, knowingly facilitates a significant transaction for Hizballah or certain persons designated for their connection to Hizballah.”

    Financial Crimes OFAC Department of Treasury Of Interest to Non-US Persons OFAC Sanctions OFAC Designations Hizballah Lebanon Iraq SDN List

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