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Former officials agree SEC usurped FinCEN’s BSA enforcement authority
On August 20, former FinCEN officials filed an amicus brief in support of a petition for certiorari filed by penny stock broker-dealer (petitioner) against the SEC claiming the agency usurped FinCEN’s Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) enforcement authority. The petition seeks to reverse a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decision, which upheld a $12 million penalty and concluded the SEC has the authority to bring an action under Section 17(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) and Rule 17a-8 promulgated thereunder for failure to comply with the Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) provisions of the BSA. As previously covered by InfoBytes, the appellate court rejected the broker-dealer’s argument that the SEC is attempting to enforce the BSA, which only the U.S. Treasury Department has the authority to do. The appellate court noted that the SEC is enforcing the requirements of Rule 17a-8, which requires broker-dealers to adhere to the BSA in order to comply with requirements of the Exchange Act, which does not constitute the agency’s enforcement of the BSA. Moreover, the appellate court concluded that the SEC did not overstep its authority when promulgating Rule 17a-8, as SARs “serve to further the aims of the Exchange Act by protecting investors and helping to guard against market manipulation,” and that the broker-dealer did not meet its “‘heavy burden’ to show that Congress ‘clearly expressed [its] intention’ to preclude the SEC from examining for SAR compliance in conjunction with FinCEN and pursuant to authority delegated under the Exchange Act.”
The former officials’ brief states that they “have no interest in the facts” of the petitioner’s dispute with the SEC, but rather “are concerned that the Second Circuit’s misunderstanding of FinCEN’s delegated enforcement authority will lead to confusion among the financial institutions that must comply with the BSA; create multiple, conflicting BSA regulatory regimes; decrease American influence over global financial regulators; and hamper U.S. law enforcement and national security efforts by diminishing the value of BSA data.” They further pointed out that the appellate court “erred in conflating delegated compliance examination efforts with the exercise of enforcement authority and let stand SEC and lower court decisions applying materially different legal standards with a lower level of judicial oversight and review than that established by Congress.” The former officials stressed that the appellate court’s decision fails “to appreciate the nature of the AML regime and therefore FinCEN’s unique expertise and central role,” adding that the decision “threatens to undermine the BSA statutory regime and harm U.S. efforts to fight money laundering and terrorist financing” and may affect other regulators and regulated entities.
OFAC issues Iran general license and related FAQs
On August 24, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Iran General License (GL) M-1, “Authorizing the Exportation of Certain Graduate Level Educational Services and Software,” which authorizes accredited graduate and undergraduate degree-granting academic institutions in the U.S. to engage with Iranian students in online educational services and exploration of software through September 1, 2022, provided certain criteria are met. OFAC also published an updated FAQ related to GL M-1 (see 853). Effective August 24, GL M-1 supersedes and replaces GL M.
OFAC sanctions Paraguayan official
On August 24, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13818 against three Paraguayan individuals and five entities under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. According to OFAC, the designations highlight the financial risks and activities where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay converge, which is marked by many unregistered money exchange houses, trade based money laundering, and a lack of awareness regarding money laundering and terrorist financing typologies, among other things. As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property belonging to the sanctioned persons, and “any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more” by them that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. OFAC notes that its regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with these individual and entities, which include “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.”
OFAC sanctions Eritrean official
On August 23, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13818 against an Eritrean individual under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. According to OFAC, the sanctioned individual is the leader or official of an entity that is involved in human rights abuse committed during the continuing conflict in Tigray. As a result of the sanctions, all transactions by U.S. persons or in the U.S. that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are generally prohibited. OFAC notes that its regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with these persons, which include “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person.”
President Biden issues executive order blocking certain Russian pipelines
On August 20, President Biden signed Executive Order (E.O.) Blocking Property with Respect to Certain Russian Energy Expert Pipelines to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in E.O. 14024 (covered by InfoBytes here) related to specific harmful foreign activities by the Russian government. The new E.O. prohibits, among other things, (i) “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order”; and (ii) “the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.” Concurrently, OFAC issued Russia-related General License (GL) 1A, as well as several new and updated FAQs related to the updated designations (see FAQs 894, 919, 920, and 921). Specifically, GL 1A authorizes certain activities involving the Federal State Budgetary Institution Marine Rescue Service (MRS) (“or any entity in which MRS owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest”) that are not related to the construction of specified pipeline projects. Several individuals and entities have also been added to OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals List.
OFAC sanctions Russian officials
On August 20, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of State joined the United Kingdom in announcing sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13382 against nine Russian individuals and two Russian entities in connection with poisoning or Russia’s chemical weapons program under a Russian opposition leader. According to OFAC, this is the third time Treasury has used discretionary authority to respond to Russia’s use of a chemical agent against its own citizens (covered by InfoBytes here). The Department of State also designated several entities and persons pursuant to E.O. 13382 for “having engaged, or attempted to engage, in activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery” by Russia. As a result of the sanctions, all of the property and interests in property of the designated persons that are in the U.S. or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, as well as any entities that are owned 50 percent or more by the designated persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Additionally, OFAC regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons unless exempt or otherwise authorized by an OFAC general or specific license. OFAC further warned that “any foreign person who knowingly facilitates a significant transaction or transactions for or on behalf of one of these persons risks being sanctioned.”
OFAC sanctions Cuban officials
On August 20, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13818 against three Cuban individuals under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. According to OFAC, this is the fourth round of sanctions since protests started in Cuba in July, as OFAC continues to impose sanctions on individuals and entities connected with actions to suppress peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba (covered by InfoBytes here and here). As a result of the sanctions, all transactions by U.S. persons or in the U.S. that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are generally prohibited. OFAC notes that its regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with these persons, which include “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person.”
FinCEN’s interactive SAR stats include 2020 data
On August 19, FinCEN announced that its Interactive SAR Stats webpage now includes Filing Trend Data by industry updated through December 31, 2020. As previously covered by InfoBytes, SAR Stats—formerly called By the Numbers—is an annual compilation of numerical data gathered from the Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) filed by financial institutions using FinCEN’s new unified SAR form and e-filing process. Interactive SAR Stats provide users the opportunity to find FinCEN’s trend data for aggregated counts of defined suspicious activities that financial institutions file with FinCEN as required by the Bank Secrecy Act.
OFAC sanctions international oil smuggling network
On August 13, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13224 against several individuals and businesses allegedly involved in an international oil smuggling network supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). According to OFAC, senior IRGC-QF officials use proceeds from the designated persons’ involvement in Iranian oil exports, including through the shipment of Iranian oil to foreign customers, to help fund the group’s destabilizing regional activities. Director Andrea M. Gacki noted the “sales rely on key foreign intermediaries to obscure the IRGC-QF’s involvement” and stressed that OFAC “will continue to disrupt and expose anyone supporting these efforts.” As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property belonging to the sanctioned persons are blocked. OFAC’s announcement further noted that OFAC regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with designated persons, adding that “foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitate significant transactions for, or persons that provide material or certain other support to, the persons designated today risk exposure to sanctions that could sever their access to the U.S. financial system or block their property or interests in property under U.S. jurisdiction.”
OFAC sanctions Cuban officials
On August 13, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13818 against two Cuban individuals and one Cuban entity under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. According to OFAC, this is the third round of sanctions since protests started in Cuba in July, as the Department continues to impose sanctions on individuals and entities connected with actions to suppress peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba (covered by InfoBytes here and here). As a result of the sanctions, all transactions by U.S. persons or in the U.S. that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are generally prohibited. OFAC notes that its regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with these persons, which include “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person.”