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OFAC continues to expand North Korean sanctions
On January 24, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed additional sanctions in response to North Korea's ongoing weapons development programs, continued sanctions evasions, and United Nations Security Council Resolutions violations. The sanctions were issued against nine entities, 16 individuals, and six vessels pursuant to Executive Orders 13810 or 13687. Five of the sanctioned individuals have links to North Korean financial networks, with several of the individuals in possession of accounts held at Chinese banks. All property held by the sanctioned individuals and entities within U.S. jurisdiction was frozen, and transactions between the sanctioned individuals and entities and Americans are also prohibited.
See here for previous InfoBytes coverage on North Korean sanctions.
OFAC releases updated Venezuela-related FAQs
On January 19, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the release of updated FAQs to address the prohibition of United States persons from purchasing or dealing in the Venezuelan government’s proposed digital currency under Executive Order 13808.
See here for previous InfoBytes coverage of Venezuelan sanctions.
Federal Reserve fines Taiwanese bank $29 million for anti-money laundering compliance deficiencies
On January 17, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) ordered a Taiwanese bank to pay a $29 million penalty in connection with alleged Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering (BSA/AML) violations. According to the Fed’s Order, examinations conducted in 2016 identified “significant deficiencies” in three of the bank’s U.S. branches’ BSA/AML compliance and risk management controls. In addition to assessing a penalty, the Order required the bank and its New York, Chicago, and San Jose branches to, among other things, (i) submit a written plan from the board of directors for improving senior management oversight, including building a sustainable governance framework for BSA/AML compliance; (ii) submit compliance plans for enhanced internal controls, independent testing, risk assessment, and employee training; (iii) submit a revised program designed to conduct customer due diligence; (iv) ensure timely, accurate, and complete suspicious activity monitoring and reporting; (v) engage an independent third-party to review the identification and reporting of suspicious activity “involving high risk customers or transactions”; (vi) comply with Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations; and (vii) submit periodic progress reports to the branches’ applicable Federal Reserve Banks detailing actions taken to comply with the provisions of the order.
OFAC expands Venezuelan and Iranian sanctions
On January 5, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed additional sanctions against four current or former officials of the Venezuelan government. The designations, issued pursuant to Executive Order 13692, identify officials who are “associated with corruption and repression in Venezuela” and have “forsaken the professional republican mission of the military institution, which . . . is to be ‘with no political orientation … and in no case at the service of any person or political partisanship.’” All assets belonging to the identified individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them. See here for previous InfoBytes coverage of Venezuelan sanctions.
Separately on January 4, OFAC designated five Iranian entities, pursuant to Executive Order 13382 (E.O. 13382), for their ties to Iran’s ballistic missile program. The five entities identified in the designation are either owned or controlled by an Iranian group that is “responsible for the development and production of Iran's solid-propellant ballistic missiles, is listed in the Annex to E.O. 13382 and is currently sanctioned by the U.S., UN, and EU.” In addition to freezing assets subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibiting U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with the entities, “foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitate significant transactions for, or persons that provide material or certain other support to, the entities designated today risk exposure to sanctions that could sever their access to the U.S. financial system or block their property and interests in property under U.S. jurisdiction.” See here for previous InfoBytes coverage of Iranian sanctions.
NYDFS fines global money service $60 million for AML deficiencies
On January 4, New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) ordered one of the largest global money transfer services to pay $60 million for willfully failing to implement an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program. According to the consent order, between 2004 and 2012, three of the company’s New York locations allowed the company’s services to be used to pay debts to human traffickers based in China. Additionally, the order emphasizes that the company was aware of weaknesses in its compliance program for years and failed to implement controls that could have detected and prevented the payments in question. The NYDFS investigation resulted from a January 2017 settlement with the Department of Justice, which found that during the same time period (2004-2012), the company processed hundreds of thousands of transactions for company agents and others involved in an international consumer fraud scheme, as previously covered by InfoBytes. In addition to the fine, the order requires that the company put in place stricter AML compliance measures, including the creation of an Independent Compliance Committee of the Board of Directors.
OFAC amends Iraq Stabilization and Insurgency Sanctions Regulations, sanctions additional North Koreans
On December 27, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) released amendments to its Iraq Stabilization and Insurgency Sanctions Regulations (ISISR) to implement Executive Order 13668 (“Ending Immunities Granted to the Development Fund for Iraq and Certain Other Iraqi Property and Interests in Property Pursuant to Executive Order 13303, as Amended”). Previously, the ISISR prohibited and deemed null and void “any attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process” related to (i) the sale and marketing of petroleum and petroleum products involving U.S. persons; and (ii) “any accounts, assets, investments, or any other property of any kind owned by, belonging to, or held by the Central Bank of Iraq, or held, maintained, or otherwise controlled by any financial institution of any kind in the name of, on behalf of, or otherwise for the Central Bank of Iraq.” OFAC’s amendments remove these prohibitions, and also implement technical and conforming changes. The amendments took effect December 28.
Separately, on December 26, OFAC announced that two North Korean individuals have been added to the Specially Designated Nationals List. Assets belonging to individuals on the list are blocked, and transactions by U.S. persons involving these individuals or that are otherwise subject to U.S. jurisdiction are also generally prohibited. See here for previous InfoBytes coverage on North Korean sanctions.
Former Aircraft Manufacturer Sales Executive Pleads Guilty to Saudi Arabian Bribery
A former sales executive of a Brazilian-based aircraft manufacturer pleaded guilty on December 21 in connection with a scheme to pay bribes to a Saudi Arabian government official. The sales executive, a U.K. resident living in the United Arab Emirates, pleaded guilty to a count each of violating the FCPA, conspiracy to violate the FCPA, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to launder money, and making a false statement. As part of his plea, he admitted that he engaged in a scheme to have the manufacturer pay bribes to a foreign official in exchange for assistance in getting an aircraft sales contract. The sales executive also admitted getting a kickback as part of the scheme and lying to law enforcement officials about the kickback.
The manufacturer previously paid $205 million to the DOJ and SEC in October 2016 to resolve related FCPA violations in Saudi Arabia, Mozambique, and the Dominican Republic.
OFAC Expands North Korean Sanctions
On November 21, the day after President Trump placed North Korea back on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed additional sanctions in an action to “disrupt North Korea’s illicit funding of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs.” The sanctions were issued against one individual, 13 entities, and 20 vessels pursuant to Executive Order 13810 and Executive Order 13722. The sanctioned entities have commercial ties to North Korea or operate transportation networks in the country, and the sanctioned individuals are “involved in the exportation of workers from North Korea, including exportation to generate revenue for the Government of North Korea.” All property held by the sanctioned individuals and entities within U.S. jurisdiction was frozen, and transactions between the sanctioned individuals and entities and Americans are also “generally prohibited.”
See here for previous InfoBytes coverage on North Korean sanctions.
OFAC Announces Cuban Assets Control Regulations Updates; Releases New FAQs
On November 8, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations to implement changes related to certain financial transaction restrictions and economic activities. In accordance with the National Security Presidential Memorandum issued by President Trump on June 16, the amendments will, among other things, prohibit “persons subject to U.S. jurisdictions” from engaging in financial transactions with entities and subentities identified on the State Department’s Cuba Restricted List. This effort is intended to “channel economic activities away from the Cuban military, intelligence, and security services, while maintaining opportunities for Americans to engage in authorized travel to Cuba and support the private, small business sector in Cuba.” The amendments will take effect November 9. OFAC also released updated FAQs and a fact sheet to answer questions related to the amended regulations.
Refer here, here, and here for InfoBytes coverage on OFAC settlements of alleged violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations.
European Commission Releases First Annual E.U.-U.S. Privacy Shield Review; Framework Works Well With Room for Improvement
On October 18, the European Commission (Commission) released its first annual review of the E.U.-U.S. Privacy Shield (Privacy Shield) framework for transatlantic data transfers, citing the Privacy Shield “ensures an adequate level of protection for personal data,” but “there is some room for improving its implementation.” In the report, the Commission’s findings and conclusions cover topics including: (i) redress options for EU individuals; (ii) complaint handling and enforcement procedures to “safeguard individual rights”; (iii) cooperation with European Data protection authorities; and (iv) the process for certifying companies under the Privacy Shield. However, the report also makes recommendations for improvement, such as (i) increasing U.S. oversight into whether U.S. companies are complying with the Privacy Shield’s requirements to protect European’s personal data; (ii) conducting regular reviews to ensure companies are not making false claims about their participation in the Privacy Shield; and (iii) establishing a closer means of communication between “privacy enforcers” to develop guidance.
Acting FTC Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen commented on the Commission’s review: “Enforcing international privacy frameworks such as Privacy Shield is an integral part of our Privacy and Data Security program, as highlighted in three recently announced Privacy Shield enforcement actions. We look forward to continuing to work with our European counterparts to ensure that the Privacy Shield remains a robust mechanism for protecting privacy and enabling transatlantic data flows.” (See InfoBytes coverage of the three FTC enforcement actions here, and refer here for previous InfoBytes coverage of the Privacy Shield.)