The Newsroom

— STATE

WASHINGTON – “I am announcing the designation of five terrorist leaders in Africa. Bonomade Machude Omar, Sidan ag Hitta, Salem ould Breihmatt, Ali Mohamed Rage, and Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir are designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order 13224, as amended.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two Cuban individuals and one Cuban entity pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world. Today’s sanctions expand upon Treasury’s July 22, 2021 designations by sanctioning additional persons in connection with actions to suppress peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba that began on July 11. The targets of today’s designations are OSCAR CALLEJAS VALCARCE (CALLEJAS), EDDY SIERRA ARIAS (SIERRA), and the POLICIA NACIONAL REVOLUCIONARIA (PNR) of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On July 22, the United States imposed sanctions on the leader of Cuba’s military and on the Cuban Ministry of the Interior’s Special National Brigade in response to Cuban security forces’ violent suppression of peaceful protesters.

Today, the United States is announcing additional sanctions in connection with the Cuban regime’s repression of the peaceful protests that started on July 11. We take this action pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Through the Global Magnitsky sanctions program, the United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences to discourage malign actors and promote accountability in connection with serious human rights abuse. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States is designating one Turkey-based al-Qa’ida financial facilitator for materially assisting al-Qa’ida and one Syria-based terrorist fundraiser and recruiter for providing material support to Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), a group linked with al-Qa’ida. These designations were made pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, a counterterrorism sanctions authority. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States is taking action to promote accountability for entities and individuals that have perpetuated the suffering of the Syrian people. The United States is sanctioning eight Syrian prisons, five Assad regime officials in the institutions that run those facilities, two militia groups, and two militia leaders. These actions underscore the U.S. commitment to promote respect for human rights and accountability for abuse against Syrians. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning eight Syrian prisons run by the Assad regime’s intelligence apparatus, which have been sites of human rights abuses against political prisoners and other detainees. OFAC is also designating five senior security officials of regime entities that control these detention facilities. The Assad regime has waged a ruthless war against the Syrian people, imprisoning hundreds of thousands of Syrians calling for reform and change, of whom at least 14,000 have been tortured to death. More than 130,000 people reportedly remain missing or arbitrarily detained to this day—the vast majority of whom are either presumed dead or are detained without communication with family or legal representation. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated one Turkey-based al-Qa’ida financial facilitator for materially assisting al-Qa’ida. Additionally, OFAC designated one Syria-based terrorist fundraiser and recruiter for providing material support to Hay’et Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS). These designations expose the continued efforts by al-Qa’ida and HTS to use the global formal financial system and highlight the need for continued vigilance against terrorist fundraising and recruitment on the internet. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Starting on July 11, tens of thousands of Cubans in dozens of cities and towns throughout their country took to the streets to peacefully demand respect for their fundamental freedoms and a better future. In response, the Cuban regime violently repressed the protests, arresting hundreds of demonstrators simply for exercising their human rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The actions of Cuban security forces and violent mobs mobilized by Cuban Communist Party First Secretary Miguel Diaz-Canel lay bare the regime’s fear of its own people and unwillingness to meet their basic needs and aspirations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned one Cuban individual and one Cuban entity pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world. Today’s action targets the Cuban Minister of Defense, ALVARO LOPEZ MIERA (LOPEZ MIERA), and the BRIGADA ESPECIAL NACIONAL DEL MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR (SNB) of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT) in connection with the repression of peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba that began on July 11. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States is designating former Honduran President Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo Sosa (Lobo) and former First Lady Rosa Elena Bonilla Avila (Rosa Lobo) due to their involvement in significant corruption. While in office, President Lobo accepted bribes from the narco-trafficking organization Los Cachiros in exchange for political favors. As First Lady, Rosa Lobo engaged in significant corruption through fraud and misappropriation of public funds for her personal benefit. While their corrupt acts undermined the stability of Honduras’ democratic institutions, former President Lobo has not yet been convicted and Rosa Lobo has been released from prison awaiting a retrial. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States and countries around the world are holding the People’s Republic of China (PRC) accountable for its pattern of irresponsible, disruptive, and destabilizing behavior in cyberspace, which poses a major threat to our economic and national security. The PRC’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) has fostered an ecosystem of criminal contract hackers who carry out both state-sponsored activities and cybercrime for their own financial gain. In addition, the United States government, alongside our allies and partners, has formally confirmed that cyber actors affiliated with the MSS exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server in a massive cyber espionage operation that indiscriminately compromised thousands of computers and networks, mostly belonging to private sector victims. As evidenced by the indictment of three MSS officers and one of their contract hackers unsealed by the Department of Justice today, the United States will impose consequences on PRC malicious cyber actors for their irresponsible behavior in cyberspace. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Department of State, alongside the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the U.S. Department of Labor issued an updated Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory to highlight the heightened risks for businesses with supply chain and investment links to Xinjiang, given the entities complicit in forced labor and other human rights abuses there and throughout China. This updates the original Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory issued by U.S. government agencies on July 1, 2020. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 22 individuals connected to Burma’s military regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is designating Ousmane Illiassou Djibo – also known as Petit Chapori – as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(a)(ii)(B) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added five Chinese entities to the Entity List for accepting or utilizing forced labor in the implementation of the People’s Republic of China’s campaign of repression against Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). This action targets these entities’ ability to access commodities, software, and technology subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and is part of a U.S. Government-wide effort to take strong action against China’s ongoing campaign of repression against Muslim minority groups in the XUAR. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 16 individuals and five entities pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13405 in response to the Lukashenka regime’s escalating violence and repression, including its reckless forced diversion of a commercial Ryanair flight and arrest of journalist Raman Pratasevich (Pratasevich) and his companion, Sofia Sapega (Sapega). The persons designated today have harmed the people of Belarus through their activities surrounding the fraudulent August 9, 2020, presidential election in Belarus and the ensuing brutal crackdown on protesters, journalists, members of the opposition, and civil society. Today’s actions, taken together with those by our international partners and across the U.S. government, seek to hold the Lukashenka regime to account for its ongoing abuses and recent affronts to international norms, including its forced diversion of a commercial Ryanair flight and the subsequent arrest of Pratasevich and Sapega. Alongside the actions taken today by Canada, the European Union (EU), and the United Kingdom (UK), these designations demonstrate steadfast transatlantic commitment to supporting the Belarusian people and their democratic aspirations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A New York woman was sentenced today to 198 months, about 16 and a half years, in prison for her role in planning a terrorist attack in the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The daughter of the leader of the Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for willfully engaging in financial dealings with Mexican companies that had been identified as specially designated narcotics traffickers by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (OFAC). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is designating Sa’id Ahmad Muhammad al-Jamal and other individuals and entities involved in an international network he has used to provide tens of millions of dollars’ worth of funds to the Houthis in cooperation with senior officials in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Those in al-Jamal’s network of front companies and intermediaries sell commodities, such as Iranian petroleum, throughout the Middle East and beyond and channel a significant portion of the revenue to the Houthis in Yemen. We are designating al-Jamal pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the IRGC-QF. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating members of a smuggling network that helps fund Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and the Houthis in Yemen. Led by Iran-based Houthi financier Sa’id al-Jamal, this network generates tens of millions of dollars in revenue from the sale of commodities, like Iranian petroleum, a significant portion of which is then directed through a complex network of intermediaries and exchange houses in multiple countries to the Houthis in Yemen. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The wife of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, leader of the Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, pleaded guilty today to charges related to international drug trafficking, money laundering, and a criminal violation of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (the Kingpin Act). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States calls on President Ortega and the Nicaraguan government to immediately release presidential candidates Cristiana Chamorro, Arturo Cruz, Félix Maradiaga, Juan Sebastian Chamorro and other civil society and opposition leaders arrested in the past week, including in last night’s crackdown, which sent independent journalists and activists into hiding for fear of reprisals. The United States condemns these actions in the most unequivocal terms and holds President Ortega and those complicit in these actions responsible for their safety and well-being. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Today, Mohamed Haji, 28, of Lansing, Michigan, pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, aka ISIS. In January 2020, his co-defendants Muse Muse and Mohamud Muse pleaded guilty to the same offense. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four individuals who support the Ortega regime — a regime that has undermined democracy, abused the human rights of civilians, enacted repressive laws with grave economic consequences, and tried to silence the independent news media. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The President has signed a new Executive Order Blocking Property and Suspending Entry into the United States of Certain Persons Contributing to the Destabilizing Situation in the Western Balkans. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On June 4, 2021, the U.S. Department of State published a Federal Register notice of seven persons statutorily debarred for having been convicted of violating, or conspiring to violate, the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751, et seq.). This action, pursuant to section 127.7(b) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR parts 120-130), highlights the Department’s responsibility to protect the integrity of U.S. defense trade. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON — A Washington man was arrested on Friday, May 28, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on criminal charges related to his alleged efforts to join Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, in order to engage in violent acts of terrorism in the Middle East or the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Washington man was arrested on Friday, May 28, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on criminal charges related to his alleged efforts to join Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, in order to engage in violent acts of terrorism in the Middle East or the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking action today against a key senior military official of Ansarallah, sometimes referred to as the Houthis, whose actions prolong Yemen’s civil war and exacerbate the country’s humanitarian crisis. Muhammad Abd Al-Karim al-Ghamari is responsible for orchestrating attacks by Houthi forces impacting Yemeni civilians. He has most recently taken charge of the large-scale Houthi offensive against Yemeni government-held territory in Marib province. Humanitarians have warned that the Marib offensive is contributing to a tipping point in Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, as it puts approximately one million already vulnerable internally displaced people (IDP) at risk, threatens to overwhelm an already stretched humanitarian response, and is triggering broader escalation. The civil war continues to result in widespread suffering throughout Yemen, where half the Yemeni population faces acute food shortages, in what the United Nations has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is taking action against two senior leaders of Houthi forces in Yemen who are involved in military offensives that exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, pose a dire threat to civilians, and destabilize Yemen. In doing so, we are promoting accountability for Houthi actions that perpetuate conflict in Yemen and undermine peace efforts, including the brutal and costly offensive targeting Marib. These actions have come despite an unprecedented consensus among the international community and regional actors on the need for an immediate ceasefire and resumption of peace talks. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State submitted a report to Congress pursuant to the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Act (PEESA), as amended, listing four vessels, five entities, and one individual involved in construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, including Nord Stream 2 AG and the company’s CEO Matthias Warnig. Persons identified in the report are subject to sanctions pursuant to PEESA unless waived. As a result of such sanctions on the entities listed in the PEESA report, the four vessels listed in the report and nine additional vessels owned or controlled by the Federal State Budgetary Institution Marine Rescue Service that are involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline’s construction, will also be subject to sanctions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Damon M. Joseph, aka Abdullah Ali Yusuf, 23, of Holland, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, aka ISIS, and attempting to commit a hate crime, for planning an attack on a synagogue in the Toledo, Ohio area. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is designating three individuals and one entity connected to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to coincide with the 14th meeting of the Counter ISIS Finance Group, which plays a key role coordinating the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS’ efforts to disrupt the group’s generation and transfer of resources. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is announcing new sanctions against Burma’s military regime in response to its continued violence and repression against the people of Burma, most recently in Mindat, Chin State, and its failure to take any steps to restore Burma’s democratic transition. We are designating the military regime’s State Administrative Council pursuant to Executive Order 14014. Additionally, we are designating four members of the SAC, nine military-appointed cabinet members, and three adult children of previously designated military officials, pursuant to the same authority. We make this announcement alongside the United Kingdom and Canada, which are taking their own steps to impose costs on the regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated three individuals and one entity in connection with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The individuals and company being designated today played a crucial role connecting ISIS with a network of international donors and enabled ISIS to access the financial system in the Middle East. This action coincides with the fourteenth meeting of the Counter ISIS Finance Group (CIFG), which includes nearly 70 countries and international organizations, and plays a fundamental role in coordinating efforts to deny ISIS access to the international financial system and eliminate its sources of revenue. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 16 individuals and one entity connected to Burma’s military regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Virginia man and former Army Green Beret was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for conspiring with Russian intelligence operatives to provide them with U.S. national defense information.

Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 46, of Gainesville, admitted to conspiring with agents of a Russian intelligence service. According to court documents, from December 1996 to January 2011, Debbins periodically visited Russia and met with Russian intelligence agents. In 1997, Debbins was assigned a code name by Russian intelligence agents and signed a statement attesting that he wanted to serve Russia. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A New York man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, aka ISIS. Zachary Clark, aka Umar Kabir, Umar Shishani and Abu Talha, 42, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty in August 2020 to one count of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely, ISIS. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State transmitted its 2020 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom to the United States Congress. This Annual Report provides a detailed and factual account of the status of religious freedom in nearly 200 countries and territories and documents reports of violations and abuses committed by governments, non-state actors, and individuals. The United States is committed to promoting accountability for those responsible for such abuses. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Jesus Gonzalez Penuelas and the Gonzalez Penuelas Drug Trafficking Organization (Gonzalez Penuelas DTO) as Significant Foreign Narcotics Traffickers pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). Jesus Gonzalez Penuelas (a.k.a. “Chuy Gonzalez”) and his drug trafficking organization are among the largest sources of raw opium gum and heroin in northern Mexico, and increasingly are a major distributor of fentanyl to U.S. markets. OFAC also designated today six individuals and one entity as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers pursuant to the Kingpin Act for their links to the Gonzalez Penuelas DTO. OFAC coordinated this action with, among others, the Department of Justice, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Department of Homeland Security. Today’s action is being announced as DEA carries out Operation Money Sweep, a collaborative effort between DEA and other law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations, such as the Gonzalez Penuelas DTO, by targeting their money laundering activities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The threat that Hizballah poses to the United States, our allies, and interests in the Middle East and globally, calls for countries around the world to take steps to restrict its activities and disrupt its facilitation networks. We applaud the countries in Europe, and South and Central America that have taken action against Hizballah in recent years and call on other governments around the world to follow suit. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated seven individuals in connection with Hizballah and its financial firm, Al-Qard al-Hassan (AQAH). AQAH, which was designated by OFAC in 2007, is used by Hizballah as a cover to manage the terrorist group’s financial activities and gain access to the international financial system. Ibrahim Ali Daher (Daher) serves as the Chief of Hizballah’s Central Finance Unit, which oversees Hizballah’s overall budget and spending, including the group’s funding of its terrorist operations and killing of the group’s opponents. The other six individuals designated today used the cover of personal accounts at certain Lebanese banks, including U.S.-designated Jammal Trust Bank (JTB), to evade sanctions targeting AQAH and transfer approximately half a billion U.S. dollars on behalf of AQAH. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Minnesota man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to provide material support and resources, namely property, services and weapons, to what he believed was Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization, for use against Israeli and U.S. military personnel overseas. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Chinese national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with illegally procuring and causing the illegal export of $100,000 worth of U.S. origin goods to Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU), a Chinese military university that is heavily involved in military research and works closely with the People’s Liberation Army on the advancement of its military capabilities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The United States Department of the Treasury welcomes the enactment today of the United Kingdom’s new Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regime, which builds upon the success of the United Kingdom’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. This new sanctions regime gives the United Kingdom an authority similar to the United States’ Global Magnitsky program and Canada’s Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, which target both human rights abusers and corrupt actors. We stand in close partnership with the United Kingdom in addressing the global challenges of corruption and illicit finance. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned one current and one former Guatemalan government official for their roles in corruption in Guatemala. This action targets Gustavo Adolfo Alejos Cambara, the former Chief of Staff for the Alvaro Colom presidential administration, and Felipe Alejos Lorenzana, an elected delegate to the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala. These individuals are designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world. These sanctions reinforce actions taken last year by the U.S. Department of State to publicly designate both individuals, and their immediate family members, under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act due to their involvement in significant corruption. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A New York man pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and the al-Nusrah Front, both designated by the U.S. Department of State as foreign terrorist organizations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A New York man was sentenced today to life in prison for detonating a bomb in a New York City subway station. He admitted that he conducted the terrorist attack on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Burmese military regime continues to ignore the will of the people of Burma to restore the country’s path to democracy. Instead of acceding to the clear aspirations of its citizens, the regime has intensified its violent crackdown, killing more than 650 people, including many children, and detaining more than 3,200 others since February 1.

Today, the United States is taking further action to restrict the regime’s access to key economic resources by designating two state-owned enterprises that benefit the regime as it engages in violence against the people of Burma. Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise (MPE) are being designated pursuant to Executive Order 14014, for being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of Burma. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two Burmese state-owned enterprises, Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise (MPE), which are responsible for timber and pearl exports from Burma. The timber and pearl industries are key economic resources for the Burmese military regime that is violently repressing pro-democracy protests in the country and that is responsible for the ongoing violent and lethal attacks against the people of Burma, including the killing of children. These sanctions are not directed at the people of Burma. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury took multiple sanctions actions under a new Executive Order (E.O.) targeting aggressive and harmful activities by the Government of the Russian Federation. Treasury’s actions include the implementation of new prohibitions on certain dealings in Russian sovereign debt, as well as targeted sanctions on technology companies that support the Russian Intelligence Services’ efforts to carry out malicious cyber activities against the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took sweeping action against 16 entities and 16 individuals who attempted to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election at the direction of the leadership of the Russian Government. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated five individuals and three entities related to Russia’s occupation of the Crimea region of Ukraine and its severe human rights abuses against the local population. These designations, pursuant to Executive Orders (E.O.) 13660 and 13685, impose sanctions on individuals who have asserted governmental authority over the Crimea region of Ukraine without the authorization of Ukraine, as well as target individuals and entities for operating in the Crimea region of Ukraine. Today’s actions demonstrate the Department of the Treasury’s unwavering commitment to counter Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and Russia’s human rights abuses against Ukrainians. Several of these individuals and entities have recently been sanctioned by the European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK), Canada, and Australia. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Audias Flores Silva (Flores Silva) as a significant foreign narcotics trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). Flores Silva (a.k.a. “Jardinero”) is one of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion’s (CJNG) regional commanders in control of large portions of CJNG territory along the Pacific coast of Mexico, including the state of Nayarit. CJNG is a violent Mexican drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking a significant proportion of the fentanyl and other deadly drugs that enter the United States. OFAC took this action in coordination with the Department of Justice, which unsealed an indictment against Flores Silva. OFAC also coordinated with the Department of State, which has announced an up to $5 million reward for information leading to Flores Silva’s arrest or conviction. OFAC’s action was the result of close and ongoing collaboration with the Los Angeles Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has added seven Chinese supercomputing entities to the Entity List for conducting activities that are contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.

Today’s final rule adds the following entities to the Entity List: Tianjin Phytium Information Technology, Shanghai High-Performance Integrated Circuit Design Center, Sunway Microelectronics, the National Supercomputing Center Jinan, the National Supercomputing Center Shenzhen, the National Supercomputing Center Wuxi, and the National Supercomputing Center Zhengzhou. These entities are involved with building supercomputers used by China’s military actors, its destabilizing military modernization efforts, and/or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Myanma Gems Enterprise (MGE), a Burmese state-owned entity that is responsible for all gemstone activities in Burma. Gemstones are a key economic resource for the Burmese military regime that is violently repressing pro-democracy protests in the country and that is responsible for the ongoing lethal attacks against the people of Burma, including the killing of children. These sanctions are not directed at the people of Burma. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Pakistani national Abid Ali Khan and the Abid Ali Khan Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13581, “Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations,” as amended. The Abid Ali Khan TCO is a human smuggling organization based in Nowshera, Pakistan, that has facilitated the unlawful smuggling of foreign nationals, including foreign nationals who may pose a national security risk to the United States or its interests, into the United States using various travel routes through Latin America since at least 2015. Additionally, OFAC designated three individuals and one entity associated with the Abid Ali Khan TCO. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Carlos Andres Rivera Varela and Francisco Javier Gudino Haro, who are violent members of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). These two individuals have allegedly helped orchestrate assassinations using high-powered weaponry on behalf of CJNG, a Mexico-based organization that is responsible for trafficking a significant proportion of the fentanyl and other deadly drugs that enter the United States. Also today, OFAC designated travel agent Alejandro Chacon Miranda, who facilitates travel that is often related to illicit activities for senior CJNG members and their allies. Additionally, OFAC designated two businesses located in Mexico. Today’s action is the result of OFAC’s ongoing collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), including the Los Angeles Field Division, and is part of a larger effort to disrupt CJNG by coordinating with multiple U.S. government partners, such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A New York man and Alabama woman were arrested yesterday at a seaport in Newark, New Jersey on criminal charges related to their alleged attempt to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two military holding companies, Myanma Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC). The Burmese military controls significant segments of the country’s economy through these holding firms, which enjoy a privileged position in the Burmese economy. The companies dominate certain sectors of the economy, including trading, natural resources, alcohol, cigarettes, and consumer goods. These sanctions specifically target the economic resources of Burma’s military regime, which is responsible for the overthrow of Burma’s democratically elected government and the ongoing repression of the Burmese people. These sanctions are not directed at the people of Burma. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two current Chinese government officials in connection with serious human rights abuses against ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). These designations include Wang Junzheng, the Secretary of the Party Committee of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), and Chen Mingguo, Director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau (XPSB). These individuals are designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption. The United States is committed to using the full breadth of its financial powers to promote accountability for the serious human rights abuses occurring in Xinjiang. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two individuals and two entities connected to the Burmese military and its violent repression of pro-democracy protests. Treasury took these actions in response to the Burmese military’s continued campaign of violence and intimidation against peaceful protesters and civil society. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Russian national pleaded guilty in federal court today for conspiring to travel to the United States to recruit an employee of a Nevada company into a scheme to introduce malicious software into the company’s computer network.

According to court documents and admissions made in court, from July 15, 2020, to Aug. 22, 2020, Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov, 27, conspired with others to recruit an employee of a large U.S. company to transmit malware provided by the conspirators into the company’s computer network. Once the malware was installed, Kriuchkov and his co-conspirators would use it to exfiltrate data from the company’s computer network and then extort the company by threatening to disclose the data. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will expand export restrictions on Russia pursuant to a March 2, 2021 determination by the Secretary of State that the Government of Russia has used chemical or biological weapons in violation of international law or lethal chemical or biological weapons against its own nationals. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On October 14, 2020, the Secretary of State submitted a report to Congress pursuant to section 5(a) of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act (HKAA), which listed 10 foreign persons that the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, determined are materially contributing to, have materially contributed to, or attempted to materially contribute to the failure of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to meet its obligations under the Sino – British Joint Declaration (“Joint Declaration”) or Hong Kong’s Basic Law, as this is defined by section 5(g) of the HKAA. This is an update to the October 14 report, consistent with section 5(e) of the HKAA. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A dual U.S.-Mexican citizen pleaded guilty today to willfully engaging in financial dealings with Mexican companies that had been identified as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has designated the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – Mozambique (ISIS-Mozambique) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. The Department has also designated ISIS-DRC and ISIS-Mozambique as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order 13224, while also designating respective leaders of those organizations, Seka Musa Baluku and Abu Yasir Hassan, as SDGTs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the two adult children of the commander-in-chief of the Burmese military forces, Min Aung Hlaing, who is the leading actor in the overthrow of Burma’s democratically elected government, as well as six companies of his two adult children. Treasury took these actions in response to the Burmese military’s coup against the democratically elected civilian government of Burma and its brutal killing of peaceful protesters. The United States stands in solidarity with the people of Burma, and we remain committed to promoting accountability for those responsible for the coup and ongoing violence. The United States urges the immediate release of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, as well as all others unjustly detained since February 1, including members of civil society, journalists, and human rights activists. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – “Today at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, we made clear our concerns about the abuses the Iranian government continues to perpetrate against its citizens, including the unjust detention of far too many in deplorable conditions. The United States is committed to promoting accountability for those responsible for such actions. Therefore, I am announcing the designation of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) interrogators Ali Hemmatian and Masoud Safdari pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2021 for their involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely the torture and/or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment (CIDTP) of political prisoners and persons detained during protests in 2019 and 2020 in Iran. These individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the Department of State, revoked the license that was issued to Specially Designated National Dan Gertler on January 15, 2021.

The license previously granted to Mr. Gertler is inconsistent with America’s strong foreign policy interests in combatting corruption around the world, specifically including U.S. efforts to counter corruption and promote stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). As the original designation of Mr. Gertler under the Global Magnitsky sanctions program in 2017 and subsequent designations in 2018 made clear, Mr. Gertler engaged in extensive public corruption. Under our Privileged Partnership for Peace and Prosperity, the United States stands firmly with our partners in the DRC to counter malign behavior that undermines the country’s institutions and economic opportunities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – “Today, I am announcing the public designation of oligarch and former Ukrainian public official Ihor Kolomoyskyy due to his involvement in significant corruption. In his official capacity as a Governor of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk Oblast from 2014 to 2015, Kolomoyskyy was involved in corrupt acts that undermined rule of law and the Ukrainian public’s faith in their government’s democratic institutions and public processes, including using his political influence and official power for his personal benefit. While this designation is based on acts during his time in office, I also want to express concern about Kolomoyskyy’s current and ongoing efforts to undermine Ukraine’s democratic processes and institutions, which pose a serious threat to its future.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Mexican national Juan Manuel Abouzaid El Bayeh (“Abouzaid El Bayeh”) as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). OFAC designated Abouzaid El Bayeh for his high-level role in facilitating drug shipments and money laundering for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), a violent Mexican drug trafficking organization that is responsible for trafficking a significant proportion of the fentanyl and other deadly drugs that enter the United States. Today’s action is the result of OFAC’s ongoing collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Los Angeles Field Division. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — An Illinois man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham, a foreign terrorist organization (aka ISIS).

Joseph D. Jones, 38, of Zion, Illinois, was convicted by a federal jury on one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS in 2019. According to court documents, Jones advocated on social media for violent extremism in support of the terrorist group. In 2015, Jones began meeting with undercover FBI employees and individuals who, unbeknownst to Jones, were cooperating with law enforcement. During the meetings, Jones discussed his devotion to ISIS and his commitment to ISIS principles. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States joins the European Union in condemning and responding to the Russian Federation’s use of a chemical weapon in the attempted assassination of Russian opposition figure Aleksey Navalny in August 2020 and his subsequent imprisonment in January 2021. We share the EU’s concerns regarding Russia’s deepening authoritarianism and welcome the EU’s determination to impose sanctions on Russia under its new global human rights authorities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) joined the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce in imposing sanctions in response to Russia’s poisoning and subsequent imprisonment of Russian opposition figure Aleksey Navalny. Specifically, OFAC designated seven Russian government officials: Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Aleksandr Bortnikov (Bortnikov), Chief of the Presidential Policy Directorate Andrei Yarin (Yarin), First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko (Kiriyenko), Deputy Minister of Defense Aleksey Krivoruchko (Krivoruchko), Deputy Minister of Defense Pavel Popov (Popov), Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) director Alexander Kalashnikov (Kalashnikov), and Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov (Krasnov) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13661 for serving as officials of the Russian government. OFAC also designated Bortnikov pursuant to E.O. 13382 for acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Federal Security Service (FSB). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS ACT SANCTIONS

Today, the Secretary of State determined that the Government of the Russian Federation has used a chemical weapon against its own nationals, in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. As a result, the following sanctions will be imposed (full or partial waivers are noted below) after the 15-day Congressional notification period:

1. Foreign Assistance:Termination of assistance to Russia under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, except for urgent humanitarian assistance and food or other agricultural commodities or products.

2. Arms Sales:Termination of (a) sales to Russia under the Arms Export Control Act of any defense articles, or defense services, and (b) licenses or other approvals for the export to Russia of any item on the United States Munitions List, except in support of commercial space cooperation following a six-month transition period, and government space cooperation.

3. Arms Sales Financing:Termination of all foreign military financing for Russia under the Arms Export Control Act.

4. Denial of United States Government Credit or Other Financial Assistance:Denial to Russia of any credit, credit guarantees, or other financial assistance by any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, including the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

5. Exports of National Security-Sensitive Goods and Technology:Prohibition on the export to Russia of any goods or technology on that part of the control list established under Section 2404(c)(1) of the Appendix to Title 50.
Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two key militants of the Iranian-backed Ansarallah, sometimes referred to as the Houthis, whose actions have prolonged Yemen’s civil war and exacerbated the country’s humanitarian crisis. Mansur Al-Sa’adi and Ahmad ‘Ali Ahsan al-Hamzi are responsible for orchestrating attacks by Houthi forces impacting Yemeni civilians, bordering nations, and commercial vessels in international waters. These actions, which were done to advance the Iranian regime’s destabilizing agenda, have fueled the Yemeni conflict, displacing more than one million people and pushing Yemen to the brink of famine. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Ahmad Hassan Mohammed al Asiri, Saudi Arabia’s former Deputy Head of General Intelligence Presidency, and Saudi Arabia’s Rapid Intervention Force in connection with the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. These persons are designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – “Today, I am announcing the public designation of former Prosecutor General Dobroslav Trnka of the Slovak Republic due to his involvement in significant corruption. In his official capacity as the Prosecutor General of Slovakia, Trnka was involved in corrupt acts that undermined rule of law and the Slovak public’s faith in their government’s democratic institutions, officials, and public processes…” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The wife of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, leader of a Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested today in Virginia on charges related to her alleged involvement in international drug trafficking.

Emma Coronel Aispuro, 31, a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, was arrested today at Dulles International Airport. She is scheduled to make her initial appearance in federal court tomorrow in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia via video conference. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two individuals connected to the military apparatus responsible for the coup in Burma. Treasury took these actions in response to the Burmese security forces’ killing of peaceful protestors, and Treasury imposed the sanctions under Executive Order 14014, the new Burma-focused sanctions authority President Biden issued on February 11. The Treasury Department stands with the people of Burma as they work to secure freedom and democracy and remains committed to promoting accountability for those responsible for the coup and ongoing violence. The military must reverse its actions and urgently restore the democratically elected government in Burma, or the Treasury Department will not hesitate to take further action. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Effective February 16, I am revoking the designations of Ansarallah, sometimes referred to as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On February 1, prior to the scheduled seating of Burma’s newly elected Parliament, the Burmese military detained a broad cross-section of civilian government leadership, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, civil society leaders, journalists, and human right activists. We have been clear: this was a coup, and we will not sit idly by. This coup attempts to reject the will of the people of Burma as expressed during the November 2020 election. Since February 1, the people of Burma have shown their commitment to democracy through peaceful protest and civil disobedience. The United States stands with them. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) implemented a series of restrictions on exports of sensitive items to Burma’s Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Home Affairs, armed forces, and security services in response to the Burmese military’s actions to overthrow the democratically elected civilian government of Burma. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Biden administration launched a new sanctions regime in response to the Burmese military’s coup against the democratically elected civilian government of Burma. In coordination with the issuance of a new Executive Order (E.O.), the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated, pursuant to that E.O., 10 individuals and three entities connected to the military apparatus responsible for the coup. The United States will continue to work with partners throughout the region and the world to support the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Burma, to press for the immediate release of political prisoners, including State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, and to hold accountable those responsible for attempting to reverse Burma’s progress toward democracy. These sanctions specifically target those who played a leading role in the overthrow of Burma’s democratically elected government. The sanctions are not directed at the people of Burma. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — In San Antonio today, 22-year-old Cost resident Jaylyn Christopher Molina, aka Abdur Rahim, admitted to conspiring to provide material support to the designated foreign terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham/Syria (ISIS), announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Gregg N. Sofer and FBI Special Agent in Charge of the San Antonio Division Christopher Combs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department, along with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and U.S. Army Counterintelligence, announced today the arrest of a private first class in the U.S. Army, on federal terrorism charges based on Bridges’ alleged efforts to assist ISIS to attack and kill U.S. soldiers in the Middle East. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States has sanctioned three individuals and 11 entities for their ties to a network helping Nicolas Maduro and his illegitimate regime evade U.S. sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector. This action builds on previous sanctions targeting individuals and entities involved in a sanctions-evasion scheme benefitting the illegitimate Maduro regime and Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), which the regime uses as its primary conduit for corruption to exploit and profit from Venezuela’s natural resources. The principal actors in the evasion network include Alessandro Bazzoni, Francisco Javier D’Agostino Casado, Philipp Paul Vartan Apikian, Elemento Ltd, and Swissoil Trading SA. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is imposing sanctions on the Russia-based entity KVT-RUS and identifying the vessel FORTUNA as blocked property. KVT-RUS is being sanctioned pursuant to Section 232 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for knowingly selling, leasing, or providing to the Russian Federation goods, services, technology, information, or support for the construction of Russian energy export pipelines. The United States will consider further actions in the near term, under CAATSA, and the Protecting European Energy Security Act (PEESA), as amended. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated three individuals, fourteen entities, and six vessels for their ties to a network attempting to evade United States sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is designating six PRC and Hong Kong officials in connection with the draconian National Security Law (NSL), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13936, “The President’s Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is imposing sanctions on the Cuban Ministry of Interior (MININT) and Minister of Interior General Lazaro Alberto Álvarez Casas for their connection to serious human rights abuse under Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Iranian conventional arms proliferation poses a persistent threat to regional and international security, as evidenced by Iran’s continued military support and confirmed arms transfers that fuel ongoing conflict in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and elsewhere. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – In June 2020, the State Department sanctioned the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) pursuant to Executive Order 13382 (WMD Proliferators and Their Supporters). At that time, we underscored the fact that IRISL is the preferred shipping line for Iranian proliferators and procurement agents. We have warned industry that those who do business with IRISL, its subsidiaries, and other Iranian shipping entities, risk sanctions. Today, we are sanctioning seven entities and two individuals for such conduct. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has increased sanctions against Harakat Sawa’d Misr – also known as HASM – by designating the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). HASM was previously designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 in January 2018 for posing a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism. The Department has also designated Yahya al-Sayyid Ibrahim Musa and Alaa Ali Ali Mohammed al-Samahi as SDGTs under Section 1(a)(ii)(B) of E.O. 13224 for being leaders of HASM. Additionally, the Department has also reviewed the FTO designation of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and maintained it, in accordance with section 219 of the INA. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has amended the terrorist designations of Lashkar i Jhangvi (LJ) and ISIL Sinai Peninsula (ISIL-SP) to include additional aliases. These aliases have been added to LJ and ISIL-SP’s designations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Today, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce (Commerce) added Chinese National Overseas Oil Corporation (CNOOC) to the Entity List and Chinese company Skyrizon to the Military End-User (MEU) List. Both companies threaten U.S. national security, CNOOC by helping China intimidate neighbors in the South China Sea and Skyrizon for its capability to develop, produce, or maintain military items, such as military aircraft engines. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today the United States is designating Abd al-Aziz Malluh Mirjirash al-Muhammadawi – also known as Abu Fadak – as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order 13224. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is imposing sanctions on two organizations controlled by the Supreme Leader of Iran, the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order (EIKO) and Astan Quds Razavi (AQR). While masquerading as charitable organizations, EIKO and AQR control large portions of the Iranian economy, including assets seized from political dissidents and religious minorities, for the benefit of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his office, and senior Iranian government officials. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took additional action against seven individuals and four entities that are part of a Russia-linked foreign influence network associated with Andrii Derkach. Russian agent Derkach was designated on September 10, 2020, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13848, for his attempt to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is imposing sanctions on seven individuals and four entities that are part of a Russia-linked foreign influence network associated with Andrii Derkach, who was designated on September 10, 2020, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13848 for his attempt to influence the 2020 U.S. Presidential election. Derkach, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, has been an active Russian agent for more than a decade, maintaining close connections with Russian intelligence services. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The State Department has designated Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism for repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism in granting safe harbor to terrorists. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today that three Sri Lankan citizens have been charged with terrorism offenses, including conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS). The men were part of a group of ISIS supporters which called itself “ISIS in Sri Lanka.” That group is responsible for the 2019 Easter attacks in the South Asian nation of Sri Lanka, which killed 268 people, including five U.S. citizens, and injured over 500 others, according to a federal criminal complaint unsealed today. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is designating Falih al-Fayyadh, Chairman of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Commission (PMC) and former National Security Advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, for his role in violence against Iraqi protesters in 2019. Al-Fayyadh is being designated pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is imposing sanctions on 17 companies and one individual in connection with Iran’s metals industry. The Iranian regime uses revenue from its metals sector to fund the regime’s destabilizing activities around the world. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State is announcing the addition of Banco Financiero International S.A. (BFI) to the Cuba Restricted List, effective upon publication in early January. BFI is a Cuban military-controlled commercial bank that benefits directly from financial transactions at the expense of the Cuban people. The Cuban military uses BFI’s key role in foreign exchange to give military and state companies preferential access, secure advantageous exchange rates, and finance government-controlled projects that enrich the regime. The profits earned from these operations disproportionately benefit the Cuban military rather than independent Cuban entrepreneurs, furthering repression of the Cuban people and funding Cuba’s interference in Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States is designating the Venezuelan judge and prosecutor who presided over and prosecuted the November 2020 trial and sentencing of six U.S. persons known as the “Citgo 6.” These Americans have been unjustly imprisoned in Venezuela since November 2017 after being lured to Caracas under false pretenses. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Five years ago last Friday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2254, firmly laying out the only path for an enduring resolution to the Syrian conflict. The United States and the vast majority of the international community remain committed to this dignified plan for ending the suffering of the Syrian people. The Assad regime, supported by its enablers and allies, however, refuses to end its needless, brutal war against the Syrian people, stalling efforts to reach a political resolution. The Department of State today is imposing sanctions on Asma al-Assad, the wife of Bashar al-Assad, for impeding efforts to promote a political resolution of the Syrian conflict pursuant to Section 2(a)(i)(D) of Executive Order 13894. Asma al-Assad has spearheaded efforts on behalf of the regime to consolidate economic and political power, including by using her so-called charities and civil society organizations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding a new ‘Military End User’ (MEU) List, as well as the first tranche of 103 entities, which includes 58 Chinese and 45 Russian companies. The U.S. Government has determined that these companies are ‘military end users’ for purposes of the ‘military end user’ control in the EAR that applies to specified items for exports, reexports, or transfers (in-country) to the China, Russia, and Venezuela when such items are destined for a prohibited ‘military end user.’ Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added three Cuban military-owned companies to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List). All property and interests in property of these entities that are in the United States or in the possession or control of persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction continue to be blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Chinese Communist Party’s malign activity at home and abroad harms U.S. interests and undermines the sovereignty of our allies and partners. The United States will use all countermeasures available, including actions to prevent People’s Republic of China (PRC) companies and institutions from exploiting U.S. goods and technologies for malign purposes. Today’s actions mark yet another sign of our resolve. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Today, the Commerce Department added 77 entities to the Entity List for actions deemed contrary to the national security or foreign policy interest of the United States. These include entities in China that enable human rights abuses, entities that supported the militarization and unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, entities that acquired U.S.-origin items in support of the People’s Liberation Army’s programs, and entities and persons that engaged in the theft of U.S. trade secrets. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce (Commerce) added Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) of China to the Entity List. BIS is taking this action to protect U.S. national security. This action stems from China’s military-civil fusion (MCF) doctrine and evidence of activities between SMIC and entities of concern in the Chinese military industrial complex. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Petroleum and petrochemicals are major sources of revenue for the Iranian regime, revenue it employs to oppress the Iranian people and to advance its malign foreign agenda. Today, the Department of State is imposing sanctions on Vietnam Gas and Chemicals Transportation Corporation, a vessel manager, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13846, for knowingly engaging, on or after November 5, 2018, in a significant transaction for the transport of petroleum products from Iran. The Department of State is also imposing sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13846 on the company’s Managing Director, Vo Ngoc Phung, for serving as a principal executive officer of the company. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State has designated the Saraya al-Mukhtar group as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for posing a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – For 13 years, the Iranian regime has denied knowledge of Robert A. “Bob” Levinson’s whereabouts or condition. However, senior Iranian officials authorized Levinson’s abduction and detention and launched a disinformation campaign to deflect blame from the regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, Sudan’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism is officially rescinded. This represents a fundamental change in our bilateral relationship toward greater collaboration and support for Sudan’s historic democratic transition. This achievement was made possible by the efforts of Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government to chart a bold new course away from the legacy of the Bashir regime and, in particular, to meet the statutory and policy criteria for rescission. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, The United States is imposing sanctions on the Republic of Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) pursuant to Section 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction with Rosoboronexport (ROE), Russia’s main arms export entity, by procuring the S-400 surface-to-air missile system. SSB is Turkey’s primary defense procurement entity and has responsibilities in defense industrial development. As a part of this action, the United States is imposing full blocking sanctions and visa restrictions on Ismail Demir, the president of SSB; Faruk Yigit, SSB’s vice president; Serhat Gencoglu, SSB’s Head of the Department of Air Defense and Space; and Mustafa Alper Deniz, Program Manager for SSB’s Regional Air Defense Systems Directorate. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has designated Ashraf al-Qizani as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(a)(ii)(B) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – …”Today, the Department is announcing the public designation of 17 officials of foreign governments and their immediate family members under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act 2020, as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations Act 2021, due to the officials’ involvement in gross violations of human rights. Section 7031(c) provides that in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that officials of foreign governments have been involved in a gross violation of human rights or significant corruption, those individuals and their immediate family members are to be designated publicly or privately and are ineligible for entry into the United States….” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Beijing’s unrelenting assault against Hong Kong’s democratic processes has gutted its Legislative Council, rendering the body a rubber stamp devoid of meaningful opposition. One aspect of that assault has been the actions of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), which have effectively neutered the ability of the people of Hong Kong to choose their elected representatives in keeping with the Joint Declaration and Basic Law. These actions demonstrate once again Beijing’s complete disregard for its international commitments under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a U.N.-registered treaty. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long sought to spread Marxist-Leninist ideology and exert its influence all over the world. The CCP’s United Front Work Department funds and supports overseas organizations to spread propaganda and coerces and bullies those who would oppose Beijing’s policies. The United Front frequently intimidates members of academia, businesses, civil society groups, and Chinese diaspora communities, including members of ethnic and religious minority communities who speak out against horrific human rights abuses taking place in Xinjiang, Tibet, and elsewhere in China. Its coercive tactics target individuals viewed as working against CCP interests. These tactics include the release of personal details (“doxing”) of their targets and even their family members online as a means of political intimidation. Today, I am exercising my authority under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to impose visa restrictions on PRC and CCP officials, or individuals active in United Front Work Department activities, who have engaged in the use or threat of physical violence, theft and release of private information, espionage, sabotage, or malicious interference in domestic political affairs, academic freedom, personal privacy, or business activity. These malign activities are intended to co-opt and coerce sub-national leaders, overseas Chinese communities, academia, and other civil society groups both in the United States and other countries in furtherance of the CCP’s authoritarian narratives and policy preferences. I will continue to implement such visa restrictions to make clear that those responsible for actions that contravene the rules-based international order are not welcome in the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Shahid Meisami Group and its director. Shahid Meisami Group is involved in Iran’s chemical weapons research and is subordinate to the Iranian Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, also known as SPND. The United States designated SPND in 2014 in connection with the Iranian regime’s proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) or their means of delivery. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State joins the Department of the Treasury in announcing the designation of Mexican national Lucio Rodriguez Serrano pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) for engaging in various illicit activities on behalf of Rafael Caro Quintero, a notorious Mexican narcotics trafficker and the mastermind behind the murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State joins the Department of the Treasury in announcing the designation of Jhon Fredy Zapata Garzon pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act for materially assisting the international narcotics trafficking activities of the Clan del Golfo in Colombia. Three of his family members and associates are also being designated along with four businesses they own or control. Zapata Garzon has been assessed to be a major drug trafficker responsible for facilitating the shipment of cocaine on behalf of the Clan del Golfo. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated CEIEC for supporting the illegitimate Maduro regime’s efforts to undermine democracy in Venezuela, including its efforts to restrict internet service and conduct digital surveillance and cyber operations against political opponents. Chinese technology companies, including CEIEC, continue to challenge democratic values of freedom and transparency by developing and exporting tools to monitor, censor, and surveil citizens’ activities on the internet. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Today, senior law enforcement officials from the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras announced criminal charges in Central America against more than 700 members of transnational criminal organizations, primarily MS-13 and 18th Street gangs, which resulted from a one-week coordinated law enforcement action under Operation Regional Shield (ORS). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, the United States imposed sanctions on Mohamed al-Kani and the Kaniyat militia in connection with the massacre of hundreds of civilians in recent years. Al-Kani and the Kaniyat militia, which al-Kani leads, are designated pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, and targets serious human rights abuse and corruption. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Sussex County, New Jersey, woman, Maria Bell, a/k/a “Maria Sue Bell,” 53, of Hopatcong, New Jersey, was arrested at her home today and charged with one count of knowingly concealing the provision of material support and resources to a Foreign Terrorist Organization Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey announced. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — In San Antonio today, 34-year-old Kristopher Sean Matthews (aka Ali Jibreel) admitted to conspiring to provide material support to the designated foreign terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham/Syria (aka ISIS), announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer for the Western District of Texas, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on two entities involved in the exportation of forced labor from North Korea. These actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13722 of March 15, 2016, “Blocking Property of the Government of North Korea and the Workers’ Party of Korea, and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to North Korea,” and in the spirit of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 (NKSPEA), including as amended by the Otto Warmbier Banking Restrictions Involving North Korea (BRINK) Act within the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which requires sanctions on persons who have knowingly engaged in, facilitated, or been responsible for the export of North Korean workers in a manner that generates significant revenue for the North Korean regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – “…Today, I am announcing the designation of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Heidar Abbaszadeh and IRGC Colonel Reza Papi pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2020 for their involvement, by operation of command responsibility, in gross violations of human rights, namely the flagrant denial of the right to life in connection with the violent suppression of protests by security forces in November 2019 in Khuzestan province. These individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. Iranian Minister of Intelligence Mahmoud Alavi is also being designated by the Department of Treasury under E.O. 13553, which authorizes sanctions for entities that commit serious human rights abuses against the Iranian people. Additionally, today the United States is designating the Islamic Revolution Mostazafan Foundation, 51 associated entities, and 10 associated individuals pursuant to E.O. 13876, which authorizes sanctions for entities affiliated with the Supreme Leader’s Office. This organization, which claims to be the “Foundation of the Oppressed,” is in reality a key agent of regime oppression and corruption, and many of its assets were originally confiscated from Iranians, especially from religious minorities such as Baha’is and Jews. The foundation is involved with human rights abusers, those involved with the regime’s support for terrorism, and organizations involved in the brutal killings last November. This action deprives the regime’s machinery of oppression the funds needed to execute its depraved agenda. For more information, see the Department of Treasury’s press release.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today against a key patronage network for the Supreme Leader of Iran, the Islamic Revolution Mostazafan Foundation (Bonyad Mostazafan, or the Foundation), an immense conglomerate of some 160 holdings in key sectors of Iran’s economy, including finance, energy, construction, and mining. While Bonyad Mostazafan is ostensibly a charitable organization charged with providing benefits to the poor and oppressed, its holdings are expropriated from the Iranian people and are used by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to enrich his office, reward his political allies, and persecute the regime’s enemies. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State has designated Abdullahi Osman Mohamed and Maalim Ayman, senior leaders of al-Shabaab, the Somalia-based al-Qa’ida affiliate, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under section 1(a)(ii)(B) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – “By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is increasingly exploiting United States capital to resource and to enable the development and modernization of its military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, which continues to allow the PRC to directly threaten the United States homeland and United States forces overseas, including by developing and deploying weapons of mass destruction, advanced conventional weapons, and malicious cyber-enabled actions against the United States and its people…” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On November 10, 2020 the Department of the Treasury designated an international network of six companies and four individuals for facilitating the procurement of sensitive goods, including U.S.-origin electronic components, for Iran Communications Industries (ICI). ICI is a sanctioned Iranian military firm and a subsidiary of Iran Electronics Industries, which falls under Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Chin Hua Huang, 42, a resident of Taiwan, was charged in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia with participating in a criminal conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws and sanctions against Iran. Also charged was Taiwan business organization DES International Co., Ltd. (DES Int’l) and Brunei business organization Soltech Industry Co., Ltd. (Soltech). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Samantha Marie Elhassani, aka Samantha Sally, 35, formerly of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Financing Terrorism, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana Thomas L. Kirsch II, FBI Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Jill Sanborn, and FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis field office Paul Keenan. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury sanctioned 19 individuals and entities under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 and other sanctions authorities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Hong Kong-based officials continue to dismantle the promised autonomy and freedoms of Hong Kong through politically motivated arrests. Today, the U.S. Department of State is designating four PRC and Hong Kong officials in connection with implementing the PRC-imposed National Security Law and threatening the peace, security, and autonomy of Hong Kong, pursuant to Executive Order 13936. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The United States has seized 27 domain names that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unlawfully used to further a global covert influence campaign. As described in the seizure documents, all 27 domains were being used in violation of U.S. sanctions targeting both the Government of Iran and the IRGC. Four of the domains purported to be genuine news outlets but were actually controlled by the IRGC and targeted audiences in the United States, to covertly influence United States policy and public opinion, in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). The remainder targeted audiences in other parts of the world. This seizure warrant follows an earlier seizure of 92 domains used by the IRGC for similar purposes. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States will continue to prevent the Iranian regime from using the Iranian people’s natural resources to fund terror and support oppression. Yesterday, the Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and Department of Justice have taken important actions to constrain the regime’s oil and petrochemical sales. The Justice Department announced the filing of a complaint to seek the forfeiture of two shipments of Iranian missiles the U.S. Navy seized in transit from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to militant groups in Yemen, as well as the sale of approximately 1.1 million barrels of Iranian petroleum the U.S. previously took custody of from four foreign-flagged oil tankers bound for Venezuela. These actions represent the U.S. government’s largest-ever forfeiture actions for fuel and weapons shipments from Iran. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – “Today, I am announcing the designation of First Secretary in the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala, Felipe Alejos Lorenzana, and former Deputy Delia Bac, due to their involvement in significant corruption. Mr. Alejos’ and Ms. Bac’s corruption has undermined the rule of law and the Guatemalan public’s faith in their government and their country’s democratic institutions and public processes. While acting in his official capacity as a deputy in the Guatemalan Congress, Mr. Alejos was involved in corrupt acts to enrich himself, while also seriously harming U.S. businesses’ international economic activity. In her official capacity as a deputy from 2008 to 2020, Ms. Bac was involved in corrupt acts including using her political influence for the personal enrichment and advancement of herself and her family.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating the Iranian Ministry of Petroleum, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), and the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, a counterterrorism authority, for their financial support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), an entity designated under E.O. 13224. Senior NIOC and NITC personnel have worked closely with Rostam Ghasemi, a senior IRGC-QF official and former Minister of Petroleum who was designated in 2019, and who has assumed a portion of former IRGC-QF Commander Qasem Soleimani’s role in facilitating shipments of oil and petroleum products for the financial benefit of the IRGC-QF. OFAC is also designating multiple entities and individuals associated with the Ministry of Petroleum, NIOC, and NITC, including front companies, subsidiaries, and senior executives. In addition, OFAC is designating four persons involved in the recent sale of Iranian gasoline to the illegitimate Maduro regime in Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action to remove Cuba’s military from the process of sending remittances to Cuba. Once these changes to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) are effective, persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction will no longer be authorized to process remittances to or from Cuba involving any entity or sub-entity on the State Department’s Cuba Restricted List. These changes provide for a 30-day period before they are effective in order to allow for technical implementation. U.S. remittances to Cuba can still flow, but they will not flow through the hands of the Cuban military, which uses those funds to oppress the Cuban people and to fund Cuba’s interference in Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States will not tolerate foreign interference in our elections. The whole of the U.S. government is using all the tools at our disposal to target those who attempt to interfere in our democratic process. Yesterday’s action sanctions five Iranian entities pursuant to Executive Order 13848 for their efforts to spread disinformation and undermine our elections. We are also adding several cyber actors to our terrorist watch list and databases for their known association with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist, which will effectively prevent those individuals and their families from traveling to the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States remains steadfast in countering malign cyber activities by Russian actors on behalf of the Government of the Russian Federation. Today, we designated a Russian government research institution directly connected to the destructive and life-threatening Triton malware – also known as TRISIS and HatMan– pursuant to Section 224 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated, pursuant to Section 224 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), a Russian government research institution that is connected to the destructive Triton malware. The Triton malware — known also as TRISIS and HatMan in open source reporting — was designed specifically to target and manipulate industrial safety systems. Such systems provide for the safe emergency shutdown of industrial processes at critical infrastructure facilities in order to protect human life. The cyber actors behind the Triton malware have been referred to by the private cybersecurity industry as “the most dangerous threat activity publicly known.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is designating two Hizballah officials to maintain pressure on the group and impede its ability to operate in the financial system. The United States is designating Nabil Qaouk and Hassan Al-Baghdadi pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, for being officials or leaders of Hizballah, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Qaouk and Al-Baghdadi are members of Hizballah’s Central Council, a group of senior Hizballah officials that elects the terrorist group’s Shura Council, Hizballah’s highest decision-making body. Qaouk has also served on Hizballah’s Executive Council, which oversees the group’s social and economic activities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – For many years, the Iranian regime and its primary tool of regional destabilization, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), have exploited Iraq to advance their own interests at the expense of the Iraqi people. The IRGC-QF’s activities in Iraq continue to undermine Iraqi security, sovereignty, and prosperity. Today, the United States is taking another step to protect the Iraqi people from malign IRGC-QF influence by designating Iraj Masjedi, a senior IRGC-QF general in Iraq who also serves as Iran’s ambassador to Iraq. Masjedi has helped direct a variety of IRGC-QF activities in Iraq for many years, including training and providing support for Iraqi militia groups and facilitating large-scale financial transactions involving the IRGC-QF. Acting in a nefarious fashion for the IRGC-QF’s benefit, Masjedi has exploited his diplomatic position to facilitate financial transfers in Iraq for the IRGC-QF, concealing the group’s interest in the funds. Moreover, Masjedi has publicly acknowledged the IRGC-QF’s role in training militia groups in Iraq and Syria. The United States is designating Masjedi pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, for acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of the IRGC-QF, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. The United States previously designated the IRGC, including the IRGC-QF, as Foreign Terrorist Organization as it supports, finances, and directs terrorist activities around the world. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The United States has seized ‘Aletejahtv.com’ and ‘kataibhezbollah.com,’ two websites that were unlawfully utilized by Kata’ib Hizballah, a Specially Designated National and a Foreign Terrorist Organization. ‘Seizures like these are critical to preventing designated entities and terrorist organizations from using U.S. websites to recruit new members and promote their twisted world views,’ said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. ‘While this case is a reminder that terrorists don’t need to step foot in our country to further their aims, today’s actions show that the Department will do what it takes to stop them.’ Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On September 19, virtually all UN sanctions on Iran returned, including re-imposition of the UN arms embargo. Accordingly, the export of certain conventional arms to Iran is a violation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1929 and the procurement of any arms or related materiel from Iran is a violation of UNSCR 1747. The United States is prepared to use its domestic authorities to sanction any individual or entity that materially contributes to the supply, sale, or transfer of conventional arms to or from Iran, as well as those who provide technical training, financial support and services, and other assistance related to these arms. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The international community has long recognized that the Iranian regime uses the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) to transport proliferation-sensitive items intended for Iran’s ballistic missile and military programs. A provision of UN Security Council Resolution 1929 mandates vigilance when doing business with IRISL and entities owned or controlled by IRISL under certain circumstances. This provision is now in effect due to the snapback of UN sanctions. Today, the United States is sanctioning six entities and two individuals for conduct related to IRISL and its subsidiary, Hafez Darya Arya Shipping Company (HDASCO), pursuant to the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act Section 1244 (IFCA 1244). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States continued to disrupt the financial and logistical networks that support Al Qa’ida (AQ) operations in the Middle East and around the world by designating a financial facilitator. Ahmed Luqman Talib is being designated pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial or material support for, or goods or services to or in support of, AQ. Additionally, the company Talib and Sons, which is owned, controlled, or directed by Talib, is being designated. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — In support of the National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said the Department is fully behind the President’s strategy and has already implemented a number of export controls on emerging technologies. Earlier this month, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in Commerce imposed controls on six more emerging technologies, bringing the total to 37. “The National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies is a critical roadmap to protecting our national security and ensuring the United States maintains its technological leadership in military, intelligence, and economic matters,” said Secretary Ross. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Commerce has already imposed controls on more than three dozen emerging technologies and we will continue to evaluate and identify technologies that warrant control.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has systematically dismantled the autonomy that Beijing promised to the Hong Kong people and the world in a UN-registered treaty. Through the imposition of the National Security Law, the CCP has crippled democratic institutions, human rights, judicial independence, and individual freedoms in Hong Kong. The United States has publicly condemned an increasing number of problematic actions taken by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities to stifle dissent and eviscerate Hong Kong’s autonomy. These include the installation of a mainland security agency, mass arrests of peaceful protestors, the politically motivated delay of the September 2020 Legislative Council elections, and the capture and detention of Hong Kong democratic activists attempting to leave Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Autonomy Act requires the Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress identifying foreign persons who are materially contributing to, have materially contributed to, or attempt to materially contribute to the failure of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to meet its obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration or Hong Kong’s Basic Law. This year’s report includes ten PRC and Hong Kong officials whose actions have undermined freedoms of assembly, speech, press, or the rule of law, or whose actions have reduced the high degree of autonomy of Hong Kong. On August 7, the United States imposed sanctions on these same individuals under Executive Order 13936 Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Government imposed sanctions on Ana Julia Guido Ochoa (Guido), Paul Oquist Kelley (Oquist), and Caja Rural Nacional (Caruna), pursuant to Executive Order 13851 (“Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Nicaragua”). These individuals and this entity enable and benefit from the corrupt and repressive activities of the Ortega regime in Nicaragua. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is identifying the Iranian financial sector as subject to the terms of Executive Order (E.O.) 13902 and sanctioning 18 major Iranian banks, further depriving the Islamic Republic of Iran of funds to carry out its support for terrorist activities and nuclear extortion that threatens the world. These sanctions will take effect following a 45-day wind down period. This action includes imposing sanctions on 17 Iranian banks pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in Iran’s financial sector, or for being owned or controlled by sanctioned Iranian banks, and the designation of an additional Iranian military-affiliated bank pursuant to E.O. 13382, a counter-proliferation authority. Our maximum economic pressure campaign will continue until Iran is willing to conclude a comprehensive negotiation that addresses the regime’s malign behavior. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The United States has seized 92 domain names that were unlawfully used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to engage in a global disinformation campaign, announced the Department of Justice. According to the seizure documents, four of the domains purported to be genuine news outlets but were actually controlled by the IRGC and targeted the United States for the spread of Iranian propaganda to influence United States domestic and foreign policy in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), and the remainder spread Iranian propaganda to other parts of the world. In addition, the seizure documents describe how all 92 domains were being used in violation of U.S. sanctions targeting both the Government of Iran and the IRGC. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, in response to the continued, brutal repression of peaceful, pro-democracy protesters in Belarus, the United States and the European Union have taken coordinated action against Belarusian individuals involved in efforts to undermine Belarusian democracy. The U.S. Departments of Treasury and State have exercised separate authorities against 25 Belarusians involved in the 2020 election falsification and human rights violations, joining 16 Belarusian officials sanctioned in 2006 for similar actions, for a total of 41 Belarusian officials. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State is adding American International Services (AIS) to the Cuba Restricted List. AIS is a financial institution controlled by the Cuban military that processes remittances sent to the Cuban people. The Cuban military also uses AIS, its parent company FINCIMEX, and other entities to charge fees and manipulate the remittance and foreign currency market as part of the regime’s schemes to make money and support its repressive apparatus. The profits earned from these operations disproportionately benefit the Cuban military, furthering repression of the Cuban people and funding Cuba’s meddling in Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State is announcing the creation of the Cuba Prohibited Accommodations (CPA) List. The CPA List includes 433 properties that are owned or controlled by the Cuban regime or certain well-connected insiders. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced regulatory changes today to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) restricting certain transactions related to lodging at properties identified on the CPA List. The Cuban government’s profits from properties in the hospitality industry owned or controlled by the Cuban government, senior regime officials, Cuban Communist Party leadership, and their families, disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, all at the expense of the Cuban people, who continue to face repression at the hands of the regime. Authorized travelers should instead stay in private accommodations, or casas particulares, owned and operated by legitimately independent entrepreneurs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Iranian regime must respect the human rights of the Iranian people. Despite its obligations and commitments, the regime continues to subvert its justice system to fuel fear and repression. The United States is committed to holding accountable those who are denying freedom and justice to the people of Iran, and today we are taking major new actions which support the Iranian people. Today, the United States sanctioned several Iranian officials and entities for gross violations of human rights. Pursuant to Section 106 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), I determined that Judge Seyyed Mahmoud Sadati, Judge Mohammad Soltani, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz, and Adelabad, Orumiyeh, and Vakilabad Prisons were responsible for certain gross violations of human rights. This includes prior incidence of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, arbitrary detentions, and denials of the right to liberty of those seeking only to practice their faith, peacefully assemble, or to express themselves. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three Deputy Directors of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and a number of its subsidiaries. Companies supplying equipment for Iran’s ballistic missile production overseen by Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) and senior officials working on Iran’s missile programs have also been designated. Today’s actions by Treasury, the Department of State, and the Department of Commerce target entities and personnel directly involved in Iran’s nuclear, ballistic missile, and conventional arms programs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross today announced that the Department is adding five Iranian scientists to the Entity List for enabling or assisting Iran’s nuclear development program, which is contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. The individuals added to the Entity List are Ahmad Nozad Gholik, Behnam Pouremadi, Hamid Sepehrian, Mojtaba Farhadi Ganjeh, and Sayyed Javad Ahmadi. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Lebanon’s political leaders have long exploited the lack of transparency in Lebanon’s economy to conceal their self-enrichment, while pretending they are defending the rights of their people. Despite its claims to the contrary, the terrorist group Hizballah is every bit as involved in this deception as other actors. Today, the United States is designating two Hizballah-linked companies and one Hizballah official pursuant to Executive Order 13224 as amended. The United States is designating Arch Consulting and Meamar Construction for being owned, controlled, or directed by Hizballah, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist. We are designating Sultan Khalifa As’ad for being a leader or an official of Hizballah. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the world’s leading threats to cybersecurity and human rights online. Today, the United States is sanctioning the Iranian cyber threat group Advanced Persistent Threat 39 (APT39), 45 associated individuals, and a front company, Rana Intelligence Company (Rana) pursuant to Executive Order 13553. Together, these groups and individuals targeted at least 15 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as hundreds of individuals and entities in 30 additional countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. We will continue to expose Iran’s nefarious behavior and impose costs on the regime until they turn away from their destabilizing agenda. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — An indictment and arrest warrant were unsealed today in the federal court of the District of Columbia charging Lirim Sylejmani, a Kosovo-born naturalized U.S. citizen, with conspiring to provide, providing, and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and receiving training from ISIS, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2339B and 2339D. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, in a coordinated action with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned two Russian nationals for their involvement in a sophisticated phishing campaign in 2017 and 2018 that targeted customers of two U.S.-based, and one foreign-based, virtual asset service providers, commonly known as cryptocurrency exchanges. American citizens and businesses were among the victims of this malicious cyber-enabled activity, which resulted in combined losses of at least $16.8 million. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Nabah Ltd., a company owned or controlled by Ashraf Seed Ahmed Al-Cardinal. Al-Cardinal is a Sudanese businessman previously designated for his role in corruption connected to the South Sudanese government. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Zineb Souma Yahya Jammeh, the former first lady of The Gambia. Zineb Jammeh is believed to control many of the overseas assets of her husband, Yahya Jammeh, the notoriously corrupt former leader of The Gambia, who was sanctioned by the Department of the Treasury in 2017. In addition, the State Department designated Zineb Jammeh in December 2018 under Section 7031(c) of the annual appropriations bill as an immediate family member of Yahya Jammeh, who was concurrently designated for his involvement in significant corruption. Their children are also ineligible for entry into the United States as a result of the 2018 designation. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, I am announcing the public designation of the former Director of Passport and Visas at the Liberian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrew Wonplo, due to his involvement in significant corruption. In his official capacity at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2019, Mr. Wonplo was involved in passport fraud that undermined the rule of law, reduced the Liberian public’s faith in their government’s management of identification and travel documents, and compromised the integrity and security of immigration processes. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned four Kremlin-linked individuals for their efforts to interfere in United States elections. Treasury designated Andrii Derkach pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13848, for his efforts to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Derkach maintains close ties to Russian intelligence and sought to influence the views of American voters through a Russian-directed covert influence campaign centered on manipulating the American political process to advance Russia’s malign interests in Ukraine. This operation was designed to culminate prior to Election Day. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned former Lebanese government ministers Yusuf Finyanus and Ali Hassan Khalil, who provided material support to Hizballah and engaged in corruption. These designations underscore how some Lebanese politicians have conspired with Hizballah at the expense of the Lebanese people and institutions. The United States supports the Lebanese people in their calls for a transparent and accountable government free of corruption. The catastrophic explosion at the port of Beirut on August 4, 2020, has amplified these urgent calls, and the U.S government stands firmly in support of the Lebanese people’s demands. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State imposed sanctions on five entities under section 3(a)(ii) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran. The Department of State also imposed sanctions under section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846 on three individuals who serve as principal executive officers of the sanctioned entities, or perform similar functions and with similar authorities as a principal executive officer. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DDTC

On April 14, 2020, the President delegated to the Secretary of State the functions and authorities vested by § 1250A(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 (P.L. 116-92) and § 205(d) of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 (Div. J. P.L. 116-94) (85 FR 35797). The Secretary subsequently determined it essential to the national security interests of the United States to waive the limitations provided in § 1250A(d) of the NDAA for FY 2020 (P.L. 116-92) and § 205(d) of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 (Div. J. P.L. 116-94) for one fiscal year, FY 2021. Therefore, on October 1, 2020, the Department will temporarily amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) § 126.1(r) to reflect the temporary waiver of the policy of denial on the export, reexport, retransfer, and temporary import of non-lethal defense articles and defense services destined for or originating in the Republic of Cyprus (ROC). The temporary waiver is effective for one fiscal year. The policy of the United States for lethal defense articles and defense services destined for or originating in the ROC will remain unchanged, i.e., the denial of licenses. A Federal Register Notice will be published detailing the temporary amendment. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The United States has seized “Aletejahtv.com” and “Aletejahtv.org,” two websites, which were unlawfully utilized by Kata’ib Hizballah, a Specially Designated National and a Foreign Terrorist Organization. “Once again we see designated foreign terrorist organizations turning to the internet to push their message and recruit followers for their violent causes,” said John Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “We will continue to fight terror recruitment and propaganda efforts in the digital world, as we do elsewhere.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A repatriated ISIS fighter has pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge, announced the Department of Justice. Omer Kuzu – a 23-year-old U.S. citizen captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces and returned to the U.S. by the FBI after a five-year stint handling communications for ISIS – pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to provide material support to terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are issuing an advisory on North Korea’s ballistic missile procurement activities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of Tnuza Jamal Hassan, 22, to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (al-Qa’ida). Hassan entered her guilty plea this morning before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce (Commerce) added 24 Chinese companies to the Entity List for their role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize the internationally condemned artificial islands in the South China Sea. Despite protests from the United States and other countries, the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has been rapidly building the artificial islands since 2013, enabling the Communist Chinese Party’s (CCP) militarization of disputed outposts in the South China Sea to undermine the sovereign rights of U.S. partners in the region. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated one of the most significant drug traffickers in the world – Chinese national Zhang Taotao. Zhang and Hong Kong-based entity Allyrise Technology Group Co., Limited, were designated pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) for their role in international drug trafficking. Today’s action is part of a continued whole-of-government effort to combat the illegal production and trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids from the PRC, which have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Tomorrow will mark the seventh anniversary of the Assad regime’s chemical weapons attack in Ghouta which killed over 1,400 Syrians. Today, in memory of the victims that brutality, the United States is announcing six sanctions against the Assad regime’s military, government, and financial supporters. As we continue to implement the goals of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, we reaffirm our commitment to not stand by idly while Assad prolongs this conflict and the suffering of the Syrian people. We will continue pressure against the Assad regime to compel it to end its attacks against the Syrian people. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States continued its maximum pressure campaign against Iran by designating two companies and one individual for procuring parts for Mahan Air, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity. Mahan Air has a long record of ferrying weapons and terrorists around the world for Iran. The United States designated Parthia Cargo and Delta Parts, both based in the UAE, pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for providing material support to Mahan Air, which is also designated pursuant to E.O. 13224. The United States also designated Amin Mahdavi, an Iranian national, under the same authority. The Department of Justice, meanwhile, filed a criminal complaint against Mahdavi and Parthia Cargo alleging that they facilitated shipment to Iran of U.S.-origin goods, including commercial aircraft parts, in violation of U.S. law. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce (Commerce) today further restricted access by Huawei Technologies (Huawei) and its non-U.S. affiliates on the Entity List to items produced domestically and abroad from U.S. technology and software. In addition, BIS added another 38 Huawei affiliates to the Entity List, which imposes a license requirement for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and modified four existing Huawei Entity List entries. BIS also imposed license requirements on any transaction involving items subject to Commerce export control jurisdiction where a party on the Entity List is involved, such as when Huawei (or other Entity List entities) acts as a purchaser, intermediate, or end user. These actions, effective immediately, prevent Huawei’s attempts to circumvent U.S. export controls to obtain electronic components developed or produced using U.S. technology. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned four Ugandans pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, for their involvement in an adoption scam that saw many Uganda-born children victimized by the participants in the scheme. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration sees Huawei for what it is – an arm of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) surveillance state – and we have taken action accordingly. Today, our government enacted several measures to protect U.S. national security, our citizens’ privacy, and the integrity of our 5G infrastructure from Beijing’s malign influence. The Department of State strongly supports the Commerce Department’s expansion today of its Foreign Direct Product Rule, which will prevent Huawei from circumventing U.S. law through alternative chip production and provision of off-the-shelf (OTS) chips produced with tools acquired from the United States. This measure follows the more limited expansion of the Foreign Direct Product Rule in May, which Huawei has continuously tried to evade. The Commerce Department also added 38 Huawei affiliates to its Entity List, which identifies foreign parties prohibited from receiving certain sensitive technologies and allowed Huawei’s Temporary General License (TGL) to expire. The United States has provided ample time for affected companies and persons – primarily Huawei customers – to identify and shift to other sources of equipment, software, and technology and wind-down their operations. Now that time is up. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced the dismantling of three terrorist financing cyber-enabled campaigns, involving the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, al-Qaeda, and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). This coordinated operation is detailed in three forfeiture complaints and a criminal complaint unsealed today in the District of Columbia. These actions represent the government’s largest-ever seizure of cryptocurrency in the terrorism context. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today that Jesus Wilfredo Encarnacion, a/k/a “Jihadistsoldgier,” “Jihadinhear,” “Jihadinheart,” “Lionofthegood,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based designated foreign terrorist organization responsible for multiple high-profile attacks, including the infamous Mumbai attacks in November 2008. In addition, Encarnacion was sentenced to a lifetime term of supervised release. Encarnacion pleaded guilty on Jan. 22, 2020, before United States District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who also imposed today’s sentence. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced that Zachary Clark, a/k/a “Umar Kabir,” a/k/a “Umar Shishani,” a/k/a “Abu Talha,” pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Clark pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald. Judge Buchwald is scheduled to sentence Clark on Feb. 9, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Chinese Communist Party has made clear that Hong Kong will never again enjoy the high degree of autonomy that Beijing itself promised to the Hong Kong people and the United Kingdom for 50 years. President Trump has made clear that the United States will therefore treat Hong Kong as “one country, one system,” and take action against individuals who have crushed the Hong Kong people’s freedoms. Today, the United States designates 11 individuals pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13936. These individuals include Carrie Lam, Teresa Cheng, Erick Tsang, Zheng Yanxiong, Eric Chan, John Lee Ka-chiu, and Chris Tang, for their roles in coercing, arresting, detaining, or imprisoning individuals under the authority of, or having been responsible for or involved in developing, adopting, or implementing, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong. This law, purportedly enacted to “safeguard” the security of Hong Kong, is in fact a tool of CCP repression. This action includes designations of Xia Baolong, Zhang Xiaoming, and Luo Huining for being leaders or officials of an entity engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, or autonomy of Hong Kong. Stephen Lo was also designated for being a foreign person who is or has been a leader or official of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in censorship or other activities with respect to Hong Kong that prohibit, limit, or penalize the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly by citizens of Hong Kong, or that limit access to free and independent print, online or broadcast media. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States took action against the notorious leader of a murderous group that has committed numerous human rights abuses and displaced thousands of people in the Central African Republic (CAR) since 2015. The United States acted pursuant to Executive Order 13667 and alongside the UN in designating Bi Sidi Souleymane, also known as Sidiki Abbas, who leads the Central African Republic based militia group Return, Reclamation, Rehabilitation (3R). On September 27, 2016, 3R raided the village of De Gaulle, killing at least 17 villagers, and raping women and girls. During and immediately after 3R’s raid on De Gaulle, 3R members and Souleymane himself tortured villagers. On May 21, 2019, 3R killed at least 34 unarmed civilians in three villages in northwest CAR’s Ouham-Pendé province, summarily executing adult males. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against a network of smugglers contributing to instability in Libya. OFAC designated Libyan national Faysal al-Wadi (Wadi), operator of the vessel Maraya; two associates, Musbah Mohamad M Wadi (Musbah) and Nourddin Milood M Musbah (Nourddin); and the Malta-based company, Alwefaq Ltd, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13726. Additionally, the vessel Maraya was identified as blocked property. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Two years ago, Zimbabwean authorities launched a violent crackdown against citizens who were protesting flawed elections. That same government has yet to hold anyone accountable for the six protestors who were killed that day. To mark the anniversary of their deaths, today the United States is taking action to fight corruption in Zimbabwe. Pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13469, the United States is imposing sanctions against Kudakwashe Regimond Tagwirei, a notoriously corrupt Zimbabwean businessman, for materially assisting senior Zimbabwean government officials involved in public corruption. Sakunda Holdings was also sanctioned for being owned or controlled by Tagwirei. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— UK-BIS

UK – The UK has welcomed today’s announcement (Thursday 30 July) that the EU has imposed sanctions against nine individuals and organisations from North Korea, China and Russia, in the first set of sanctions under the EU’s cyber sanctions regime. The UK was at the forefront of efforts to establish the EU Cyber Sanctions regime and will continue to implement this regime at the end of the Transition Period, through our own autonomous UK Cyber Sanctions regime. Read more…

Source: GOV.UK

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) financial facilitators located respectively in Syria and Turkey for providing financial support to ISIS. This action coincides with the thirteenth meeting of the Counter ISIS Finance Group (CIFG), which includes over 60 countries and international organizations, and plays a fundamental role in coordinating efforts to deny ISIS access to the international financial system and eliminate its sources of revenue. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Michael Bailey, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, Jill Sanborn, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, and Sean Kaul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office, announced that on July 22, 2020, Jill Marie Jones was arrested for attempting to provide material support to al Qaeda, a designated foreign terrorist organization. According to the criminal complaint, the defendant was in communication with two FBI undercover employees, one of whom she believed to be a member of al Qaeda. During her conversations with the purported al Qaeda member, Jones agreed to send the employee money to purchase scopes for rifles that would be used by al Qaeda to kill American soldiers. In May 2020, Jones gave the purported al Qaeda member $500 using a prepaid gift card. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— UK-BIS

UK – On 20 July 2020 the Foreign Secretary informed Parliament in an oral statement that the UK has taken measures, given the new National Security Law which China has imposed on the people of Hong Kong. So we will extend to Hong Kong the arms embargo that we have applied to mainland China since 1989 and last updated on 3 June 1998. This goes beyond the ban on crowd control equipment announced on 25 June 2019 and also covers any items that might be used for internal repression alongside the other restrictions included in the 3 June 1998 written ministerial answer. The scope includes: lethal weapons, such as machine guns, large-calibre weapons, bombs, torpedoes, rockets and missiles specially designed components of the above and ammunition military aircraft and helicopters, vessels of war, armoured fighting vehicles and other weapons platforms any equipment which might be used for internal repression Open general licences that include Hong Kong will be changed or amended to bring them in line with restrictions on China. All licence applications are carefully assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and a licence will not be granted if to do so would be inconsistent with the Criteria, including Criterion 1 embargoes and national restrictions. Read more…

Source: GOV.UK

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State is publicly designating Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation, under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2020. This designation is due to Kadyrov’s involvement in gross violations of human rights in the Chechen Republic. The Department has extensive credible information that Kadyrov is responsible for numerous gross violations of human rights dating back more than a decade, including torture and extrajudicial killings. We note that today’s action also applies to Mr. Kadyrov’s spouse, Medni Kadyrova, and his daughters Aishat Kadyrova and Karina (aka Khadizhat) Kadyrova. We will encourage likeminded countries to take similar measures. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The president of a California-based electronics distribution company, his company and an employee have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Providence, Rhode Island, on charges they participated in a conspiracy to conceal information from the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Customs and Border Protection as part of a scheme to illegally export chemicals manufactured and/or distributed by a Rhode Island-based company to a technology company in China. The company is on a U.S. government list of businesses not permitted to receive products manufactured in the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added to the Entity List 11 Chinese companies implicated in human rights violations and abuses in the implementation of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, forced labor, involuntary collection of biometric data, and genetic analyses targeted at Muslim minority groups from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Today’s action will result in these companies facing new restrictions on access to U.S.-origin items, including commodities and technology. This action will supplement BIS’s two tranches of Entity List designations in October 2019 and June 2020, actions that together added 37 parties engaged in or enabling PRC’s repression in Xinjiang. …The entities to be added to the Entity List in connection with the practice of forced labor involving Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in the XUAR are: • Changji Esquel Textile Co. Ltd. • Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co. Ltd. • Hefei Meiling Co. Ltd. • Hetian Haolin Hair Accessories Co. Ltd. • Hetian Taida Apparel Co., Ltd. • KTK Group • Nanjing Synergy Textiles Co. Ltd. • Nanchang O-Film Tech • Tanyuan Technology Co. Ltd. The entities to be added to the Entity List in connection with conducting genetic analyses used to further the repression of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in XUAR are: • Xinjiang Silk Road BGI • Beijing Liuhe BGI Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State joins the Department of the Treasury in announcing the designation of five People’s Republic of China foreign nationals – Ji Songyan, Zhan Longbao, Cheng Guifeng, Zheng Guangfu, and Hu Qi – and two Chinese entities – Wuhan Livika Technology Co. Ltd., and Global United Biotechnology Inc. – for their support to and involvement in the international drug trafficking operations of Chinese synthetic opioid traffickers Zheng Fujing and Yan Xiaobing and the Zheng Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO). These designations are made pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. government announces sanctions on Juan Carlos Ortega Murillo (Ortega Murillo), Jose Jorge Mojica Mejia (Mojica), Difuso Comunicaciones S.A., and Mundo Digital S.A. for enabling and benefitting from the corrupt activities of the Ortega regime in Nicaragua. Today’s action, pursuant to Executive Order 13851 (“Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Nicaragua”), freezes the U.S. assets of the two designees and two entities and prohibits U.S. persons from conducting transactions with them. These individuals and entities have misappropriated public funds and expropriated private assets for personal gain or political purposes, engaged in corruption related to government contracts, or bribery. Ortega Murillo, the son of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President/First Lady Rosario Murillo, manages a media company, Difuso Comunicaciones S.A., which he uses to stifle independent voices, spread regime propaganda, and defend the Ortegas’ violence and repression. Mojica and Mundo Digital S.A. have long benefitted from corrupt arrangements with the regime, both to enrich themselves and enable regime associates to avoid sanctions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State updated the public guidance for Section 232 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which allows for the imposition of sanctions on persons making certain investments or engaging in certain other activities with respect to Russian energy export pipelines. By updating the public guidance, the Department of State intends to clarify that our implementation of Section 232 will now include investments or other activities related to a broader scope of Russian energy export pipelines, including Nord Stream 2 and the second line of TurkStream. Persons making such investments or engaging in such activities, including but not limited to financing partners, as well as pipe-laying vessels and related engineering service providers engaging in the deployment of the pipelines, may be subject to sanctions pursuant to Section 232. The updated public guidance can be found at www.state.gov/caatsa-crieea-section-232-public-guidance. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States took action to further limit Yevgeniy Prigozhin’s destabilizing global activity by designating entities that have enabled his ability to evade sanctions – this time, in Sudan. These designations include Private Military Company (PMC) Wagner’s apparent cover entity in Sudan, M Invest, its subsidiary Meroe Gold, and their leaders, Andrei Mandel and Mikhail Potepkin. Prigozhin’s global malign activities are well-documented, as demonstrated by his designation under multiple U.S. sanctions authorities. Prigozhin serves as the financier of the Internet Research Agency (IRA), the Russian troll farm designated by the United States for attempts to interfere in U.S. elections, as well as the PMC Wagner, a U.S. designated Russian Ministry of Defense proxy force expanding Russian influence abroad. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the seven member nations of the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) jointly designated six targets affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Three entities and one individual located in Turkey and Syria have provided a critical financial and logistical lifeline to ISIS, its branches, and its global facilitation networks. Additionally, an Afghanistan-based organization, Nejaat Social Welfare Organization, and the organization’s director, Sayed Habib Ahmad Khan, abused the goodwill of the international community under the auspices of charitable giving to facilitate the transfer of funds for and to support the activities of ISIS’s branch in Afghanistan, ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K). The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated these key ISIS financial facilitators in partnership with the other TFTC member states: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. “The TFTC’s momentous efforts over the past three years have maximized the disruption of terrorist financing around the world,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “The TFTC has brought the U.S. and its Gulf partners closer together to confront shared regional threats and build the lasting capacity to target terrorist financial networks wherever they operate.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— UK-BIS

UK – HUAWEI will be completely removed from the UK’s 5G networks by the end of 2027, the government has announced, following new advice produced by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on the impact of US sanctions against the telecommunications vendor. Ahead of this there will be a total ban on the purchase of any new 5G kit after 31 December 2020. The decision was taken today in a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by the Prime Minister, in response to new US sanctions. These were imposed on Huawei in May, after the UK’s initial decision on high risk vendors, and are the first of their kind removing the firm’s access to products which have been built based on US semiconductor technology. Read more…

Source: GOV.UK

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – Effective immediately, the Department of State has rescinded its April 18, 2002, firearms sound suppressor policy. This policy provided for enhanced guidelines for the approval and issuance of export licenses for sound suppressors and restricted their export to only official end users such as government or military entities. Henceforth, DDTC will handle suppressor exports in a manner consistent with other USML-controlled technologies. This requires that applicants must identify a specific end user. Applications for the permanent export of hardware must include purchase documentation, a DSP-83 non-transfer and end use certificate (as suppressors are considered Significant Military Equipment under the USML), an end-user statement, and an import permit (if required by the destination country). Consistent with current licensing practices, all licenses will be reviewed and adjudicated on a case-by-case basis, and any pre-license checks or post shipment verifications will be conducted as deemed necessary and appropriate based on the totality of the circumstances of the transaction. Standard staffing protocols within the Department and interagency will be applied as required. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— STATE

WASHINGTON – “The United States will not stand idly by as the CCP carries out human rights abuses targeting Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang, to include forced labor, arbitrary mass detention, and forced population control, and attempts to erase their culture and Muslim faith. I am designating three senior CCP officials under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2020 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, for their involvement in gross violations of human rights: Chen Quanguo, the Party Secretary of the XUAR; Zhu Hailun, Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Political and Legal Committee (XPLC); and Wang Mingshan, the current Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau (XPSB). As a result, they and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. I am also placing additional visa restrictions on other CCP officials believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the unjust detention or abuse of Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang pursuant to the policy announced in October 2019 under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Their family members may also be subject to these restrictions. These designations and visa restrictions complement the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s announcement today that it is designating the XPSB, as well as four current or former officials of the People’s Republic of China – Chen Quanguo; Zhu Hailun; Wang Mingshan; and Huo Liujun – for their roles in serious human rights abuse. These designations are pursuant to Executive Order 13818, ‘Blocking the Property of Persons Involved in Serious Human Rights Abuse or Corruption,’ which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Before ramping up the CCP’s campaign of repression in Xinjiang, Chen oversaw extensive abuses in Tibetan areas, using many of the same horrific practices and policies CCP officials currently employ in Xinjiang.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – “Today, the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) established a Global Human Rights sanctions regime pursuant to its Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. The United States commends the UK’s continued global leadership on the promotion and protection of human rights. This sanctions regime marks the beginning of a new era for UK sanctions policy and cooperation between our two democracies. The UK Global Human Rights sanctions regime will give the UK a powerful new economic tool to promote accountability for human rights abuse on a global scale. The UK’s new powers will complement the efforts of the United States and Canada, further enhancing our ability to act together. The United States will continue to seek out additional allies and partners to jointly leverage all tools at our disposal to deny access to the U.S. and international financial systems to all those who engage in serious human rights abuses.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— UK-BIS

“Forty-nine individuals and organisations involved in some of the most notorious human rights violations and abuses in recent years have been designated for sanctions under a powerful new regime established today by the UK, the Foreign Secretary has announced. The individuals and organisations are the first wave of designations under the new regime, with further sanctions expected in the coming months.” Read more…

Source: GOV.UK

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Businesses with potential exposure in their supply chain to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) or to facilities outside Xinjiang that use labor or goods from Xinjiang should be aware of the reputational, economic, and legal risks of involvement with entities that engage in human rights abuses, including but not limited to forced labor in the manufacture of goods intended for domestic and international distribution. In order to mitigate reputational, economic, legal, and other risks, businesses should apply industry human rights due diligence policies and procedures to address risks. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) government continues to carry out a campaign of repression in Xinjiang, targeting Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, ethnic Kyrgyz, and members of other Muslim minority groups. Specific abuses include mass arbitrary detentions, severe physical and psychological abuse, forced labor and other labor abuses, oppressive surveillance used arbitrarily or unlawfully, religious persecution, political indoctrination, forced sterilization, and other infringements of the rights of members of those groups in Xinjiang. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Effective June 30, 2020, BIS is hereby suspending any License Exceptions for exports to Hong Kong, reexports to Hong Kong, and transfers (in-country) within Hong Kong of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, that provide differential treatment than those available to the People’s Republic of China. BIS is taking this action pursuant to Section 740.2(b) of the EAR, 15 CFR § 740.2(b), which provides that all License Exceptions are subject to revision, suspension, or revocation, in whole or in part, without notice. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Chinese national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with laundering more than $4 million in drug proceeds generated by large-scale cocaine trafficking in the United States. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia; Special Agent in Charge Wendy C. Woolcock of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey T. Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division; Jason Crosby, Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and Special Agent in Charge James Gibbons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, Illinois, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Iranian regime uses revenue it receives from the export of metals to provide funding for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, and other malign activities in the Middle East, and beyond. Today, as part of our maximum pressure campaign, the United States designated eight entities connected with Iran’s metal industry and designated an entity that transferred a material to Iran that is critical to Tehran’s metal plants. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program is increasing its reward – now up to $10 million — for information leading to the identification or location of ISIS’s new leader Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahma al-Mawla. This represents a doubling of the previous reward offer of up to $5 million announced in August 2019. Al-Mawla — also known as Hajji Abdallah and Abu-‘Umar al-Turkmani — succeeded Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as the leader of ISIS following Baghdadi’s death during a U.S. military operation in October 2019. Al-Mawla helped drive and justify the abduction, slaughter, and trafficking of members of Yazidi religious minority groups in northwest Iraq, and he oversees the group’s global operations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States, under Executive Order 13599, is sanctioning five Iranian ship captains, who delivered approximately 1.5 million barrels of Iranian gasoline and related components to Venezuela in support of the illegitimate Maduro regime. These individuals who headed five Iranian-flagged tankers – CLAVEL, PETUNIA, FORTUNE, FOREST, and FAXON – to Venezuela’s shores are now added to the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List) maintained by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated three individuals and eight foreign entities, and identified two vessels as blocked property for their activities in or associated with a network attempting to evade United States sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector. As the illegitimate Maduro regime has done before, the regime turned to Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), its primary conduit for corruption, and the institutions that no longer serve its people, to exploit and profit from Venezuela’s natural resources. Maduro’s oil minister and U.S.-designated Kingpin Tareck El Aissami Maddah (El Aissami) has enlisted a network of facilitators, some of whom are designated today, to orchestrate opaque schemes to broker the re-sale of over 30 million barrels of Venezuelan-origin crude oil in order to benefit from the proceeds. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 24 individuals and entities who are actively supporting the corrupt reconstruction efforts of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. These designations include the Treasury Department’s first implementation of sanctions pursuant to the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 (Caesar Act). The Caesar Act, named in honor of the brave photographer who smuggled thousands of pictures out of Syria documenting atrocities committed by the Syrian regime in its prisons, and it promotes accountability for those who continue to support the Assad regime and its barbaric treatment of the Syrian people. Today’s actions also reinforce and expand upon restrictive measures against Syria undertaken by the European Union in January 2019 and February 2020. The Caesar Act and other U.S. Syria sanctions do not hinder our stabilization activities in northeast Syria. We will continue our humanitarian assistance through our various international and Syrian partners, even in areas under regime control. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – “…Today, the Treasury Department and State Department are releasing 39 designations under the Caesar Act and Executive Order 13894 as the beginning of what will be a sustained campaign of economic and political pressure to deny the Assad regime revenue and support it uses to wage war and commit mass atrocities against the Syrian people. We are designating the architect of this suffering Bashar Al-Assad and his wife Asma al-Assad pursuant to E.O. 13894 Section 2(a)(i)(A) and Section 2(a)(ii), respectively, as well as funder of these atrocities Mohammed Hamsho and Iranian militia Fatemiyoun Division pursuant to E.O. 13894 2(a)(i)(D). We are further designating Maher al-Assad, along with his Fourth Division of the Syrian Arab Army and its leadership Ghassan Ali Bilal and Samer al-Dana pursuant to E.O. 13894 Section 2(a)(i)(A). Lastly, we are designating Bushra al-Assad, Manal al-Assad, Ahmad Sabir Hamsho, Amr Hamsho, Ali Hamsho, Rania al-Dabbas, and Sumaia Hamcho under E.O. 13894 Section 2(a)(ii)…” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Technological advancements that provide greater interconnectivity also offer greater opportunity for exploitation by malicious actors who target at-risk Americans. Today, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control took action against six Nigerian nationals, pursuant to Executive Order 13694 as amended, for conducting an elaborate online scheme to steal more than $6 million from victims across the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – “Today, in a coordinated action with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against six Nigerian nationals for conducting an elaborate scheme to steal over six million dollars from victims across the United States. The individuals designated today targeted U.S. businesses and individuals through deceptive global threats known as business email compromise (BEC) and romance fraud. American citizens lost over $6,000,000 due to these individuals’ BEC fraud schemes, in which they impersonated business executives and requested and received wire transfers from legitimate business accounts. Money was also stolen from innocent Americans by romance fraud, in which the designees masqueraded as affectionate partners to gain trust from victims.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

“…. I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the situation with respect to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its illegitimate assertions of jurisdiction over personnel of the United States and certain of its allies, including the ICC Prosecutor’s investigation into actions allegedly committed by United States military, intelligence, and other personnel in or relating to Afghanistan, threatens to subject current and former United States Government and allied officials to harassment, abuse, and possible arrest. These actions on the part of the ICC, in turn, threaten to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and impede the critical national security and foreign policy work of United States Government and allied officials, and thereby threaten the national security and foreign policy of the United States. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, has never accepted ICC jurisdiction over its personnel, and has consistently rejected ICC assertions of jurisdiction over United States personnel. Furthermore, in 2002, the United States Congress enacted the American ServiceMembers’ Protection Act (22 U.S.C. 7421 et seq.) which rejected the ICC’s overbroad, nonconsensual assertions of jurisdiction …” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – “As part of President Donald J. Trump’s steadfast commitment to protecting American service members and defending our national sovereignty, the President has authorized economic sanctions against International Criminal Court officials directly engaged with any effort to investigate or prosecute United States personnel without the consent of the United States. The President has also authorized the expansion of visa restrictions against International Criminal Court officials and their family members.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing regulations? ?to implement Executive Order 13894 of October 14, 2019 (‘Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria’). These regulations are currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on June 5, 2020. OFAC intends to supplement these regulations with a more comprehensive set of regulations, which may include additional interpretive and definitional guidance, general licenses, and statements of licensing policy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States Government is announcing the addition of seven new subentities to the Cuba Restricted List. These seven subentities disproportionately benefit the Castro dictatorship, a regime which uses the profits from these businesses to oppress the Cuban people and to fund its interference in Venezuela, at the expense of the Cuban people or private enterprise in Cuba. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today the United States imposed sanctions against four companies for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. These companies are transporting oil that was effectively stolen from the Venezuelan people. Theft of Venezuela’s oil assets for the benefit of the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro is unconscionable, and those that facilitate this theft risk losing access to the U.S. financial system. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

The Department of Justice today announced the filing of a criminal complaint charging Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari, 23, of Tampa, Florida, with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). If convicted, Al-Azhari faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Alexandria man with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization operating in Somalia. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two senior Nicaraguan government officials, Julio Cesar Aviles Castillo and Ivan Adolfo Acosta Montalvan for supporting the corrupt Ortega regime. Since April 2018, the Ortega regime has cracked down on political opposition, leading to more than 300 deaths, 2,000 injuries, hundreds of political and civil society actors imprisoned, and over 100,000 refugees fleeing the country. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is amending the Zimbabwe Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 541. This regulatory amendment is currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on May 22, 2020. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against Iran’s Interior Minister for his role in serious human rights abuses against Iranians, as well as seven senior officials of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) and a provincial commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Today’s action also targets the Bonyad Taavon NAJA, which is translated as LEF Cooperative Foundation, along with its director and members of the board of trustees. The LEF Cooperative Foundation is an economic collaborative controlled by the LEF and is active in Iran’s energy, construction, services, technology, and banking industries. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The People’s Republic of China is one of the rapidly dwindling number of countries that welcomes Mahan Air, which ferries weapons and terrorists around the world for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Such cooperation has consequences. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating China-based Shanghai Saint Logistics Limited for acting as a general sales agent (GSA) for or on behalf of Iranian airline Mahan Air. This is the seventh designation of a GSA to Mahan Air since 2018. Mahan Air is designated under counterterrorism authorities for providing support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), as well as under a counter proliferation authority that targets weapons of mass destruction proliferators and their supporters. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) today announced plans to protect U.S. national security by restricting Huawei’s ability to use U.S. technology and software to design and manufacture its semiconductors abroad. This announcement cuts off Huawei’s efforts to undermine U.S. export controls. BIS is amending its longstanding foreign-produced direct product rule and the Entity List to narrowly and strategically target Huawei’s acquisition of semiconductors that are the direct product of certain U.S. software and technology. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica H. MacDonald today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, returned a single-count indictment against Muhammad Masood, 28, charging him with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Masood, who was initially charged in a criminal complaint on March 19, 2020, is currently in custody pending further court proceedings. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today it is extending the terms of the existing Temporary General License (TGL) authorizations for Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and its non-U.S. affiliates (Huawei) on the Entity List for 90 days. The terms and duration of any future general licenses will be announced prior to the expiration of this 90-day time period. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

The U.S. Departments of State and Treasury, and the U.S. Coast Guard, issued a global advisory to alert the maritime industry, and those active in the energy and metals sectors, to deceptive shipping practices used to evade sanctions, with a focus on Iran, North Korea, and Syria. The advisory includes a detailed set of best practices for private industry to consider adopting to mitigate exposure to sanctions risk. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

On May 15, 2019, by Executive Order 13873, I declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by the unrestricted acquisition and use of certain information and communications technology and services transactions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the U.S. Coast Guard issued a global advisory to alert the maritime industry, and those active in the energy and metals sectors to deceptive shipping practices used to evade sanctions, with a focus on Iran, North Korea, and Syria. The advisory includes a detailed set of best practices for private industry to consider adopting to mitigate exposure to sanctions risk. The deceptive shipping practices discussed in this report may create significant sanctions risk for individuals and entities involved in these industries. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Department of State notified Congress that Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and Cuba were certified under Section 40A(a) of the Arms Export Control Act as “not cooperating fully” with U.S. counterterrorism efforts in 2019. This is the first year that Cuba has been certified as not fully cooperating since 2015. This certification prohibits the sale or license for export of defense articles and services and notifies the U.S. public and international community that these countries are not fully cooperating with U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is revoking and archiving on its website Venezuela-related General License (GL) 13E “Authorizing Certain Activities Involving Nynas AB,’ and is issuing GL 3H (‘Authorizing Transactions Related to, Provision of Financing for, and Other Dealings in Certain Bonds’) and GL 9G (‘Authorizing Transactions Related to Dealings in Certain Securities’), in each case to remove references to Nynas AB. OFAC is also making conforming technical updates to two Frequently Asked Questions to reflect the issuance of GLs 3H and 9G. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced that BIOMIN America, Inc. (‘BIOMIN America’), an animal nutrition company based in Overland Park, Kansas, has paid $257,862 to settle its potential civil liability for apparent violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 515 (CACR). Specifically, between the approximate dates of July 2012 and September 2017, BIOMIN America and its owned or controlled foreign entities engaged in a total of 30 sales of agricultural commodities produced outside the United States to Alfarma S.A. in Cuba without authorization from OFAC, which resulted in 44 apparent violations of § 515.201 of the CACR. BIOMIN America could potentially have availed itself of such authorization but failed to take the steps necessary to do so. Instead, BIOMIN America developed a transaction structure that it incorrectly determined would be consistent with U.S. sanctions requirements. OFAC determined that BIOMIN America voluntarily disclosed the Apparent Violations, and that the Apparent Violations constitute a non-egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated dual Iranian and Iraqi national Amir Dianat, a longtime associate of senior officials of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Dianat, who is also known as Ameer Abdulazeez Jaafar Almthaje, is involved in IRGC-QF efforts to generate revenue and smuggle weapons abroad. OFAC is also designating Taif Mining Services LLC, a company owned, controlled, or directed by Dianat. Concurrent with OFAC’s action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia filed criminal charges against Dianat and one of his business associates for violations of sanctions and money laundering laws, and filed a related civil forfeiture action alleging that approximately $12 million is subject to forfeiture as funds involved in these crimes and as assets of a foreign terrorist organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – In conjunction with DDTC web notice of 4/23/2020 entitled “DDTC Web Notice on COVID Measures”, the Department of State provides a Federal Register document to inform the public of certain temporary suspensions, modifications, and exceptions for the durations described herein to several provisions of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). These actions are taken in order to ensure continuity of operations within the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) and among entities registered with DDTC pursuant to the ITAR during the current SARS–COV2 public health emergency. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Amir Dianat, 55, and Kamran Lajmiri, 42, both Iranian nationals, were charged with violating U.S. export laws and sanctions against Iran in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a Finding of Violation to American Express Travel Related Services Company (“Amex”) for violations of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 544. OFAC found that Amex issued a prepaid card to, and processed 41 transactions totaling $35,246.82 on behalf of, Gerhard Wisser, a Specially Designated National (SDN). These violations were the result of human error and screening system defects. Amex remediated and disclosed the violations to OFAC. There is no monetary penalty associated with a Finding of Violation. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared a National Emergency in response to COVID-19. On April 16, 2020, OFAC published a fact sheet that summarizes existing exemptions and authorizations to provide humanitarian assistance in the context of the Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, Syria, Cuba, and Ukraine/Russia-related sanctions programs Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Political Directors of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS Small Group met today virtually to reaffirm our shared commitment to continue the fight against Daesh/ISIS and maintain unity of purpose and cohesiveness in Iraq and Syria. The Political Directors agreed to maintain maximum pressure on Daesh/ISIS despite the several and multifaceted challenges, including those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in order to achieve the enduring defeat of the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria, and to remain vigilant against the threat of Daesh/ ISIS around the world. In particular, the Political Directors agreed upon the importance of maintaining and allocating adequate military and civilian means and resources to sustain Coalition efforts in Iraq and Syria, including providing support to legitimate partner forces, in order to safeguard our collective security efforts. The Political Directors agreed that Operation Inherent Resolve’s training role, temporarily suspended due to the pandemic, will resume as conditions permit. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On April 15, the U.S. Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Treasury, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued an advisory to raise the awareness of the cyber threat posed by North Korea. The advisory highlights North Korea’s malicious cyber activities around the world, identifies U.S. government resources that provide technical and threat information, and includes recommended measures to counter the cyber threat. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Departments of State, the Treasury, and Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are issuing this advisory as a comprehensive resource on the North Korean cyber threat for the international community, network defenders, and the public. The advisory highlights the cyber threat posed by North Korea – formally known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) – and provides recommended steps to mitigate the threat. In particular, Annex 1 lists U.S. government resources related to DPRK cyber threats and Annex 2 includes a link to the UN 1718 Sanctions Committee (DPRK) Panel of Experts reports. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on the activities, networks, and associates of Muhammad Kawtharani, a senior Hizballah military commander. This announcement is part of the Department’s standing reward offer for information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of the terrorist organization Lebanese Hizballah. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – The Defense Export Control and Compliance (DECCS) Licensing application has been updated to reflect the changes outlined in the regulation entitled International Traffic In Arms Regulations: U.S. Munitions List Categories I, II, and III, 85 Fed. Reg. 3819 (Jan. 23, 2020). Industry users will be able to select from the new category and subcategory values detailed in the regulation. This change only applies to new license submissions. It does not apply to previously submitted license applications. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is issuing this advisory to inform financial institutions of updates to the FATF list of jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. Financial institutions should be aware of these changes, which may affect their obligations and risk-based approaches with respect to these jurisdictions. The advisory also reminds financial institutions of the status of, and obligations involving, these jurisdictions, in particular the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Iran. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Former President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Moros, Venezuela’s vice president for the economy, Venezuela’s Minister of Defense, and Venezuela’s Chief Supreme Court Justice are among those charged in New York City; Washington, DC; and Miami, along with current and former Venezuelan government officials as well as two Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) leaders, announced U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman of the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Acting Executive Associate Director Alysa D. Erichs of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald for the District of Minnesota today announced a federal criminal complaint against Muhammad Masood, 28, charging him with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Masood, who was arrested earlier today at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Masood was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing, which is scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, 2020. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today took action against five United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based companies that facilitate the Iranian regime’s petroleum and petrochemical sales. In 2019, these five companies collectively purchased hundreds of thousands of metric tons of petroleum products from the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical industries are major sources of revenue for the Iranian regime, which has used these funds to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force’s (IRGC-QF) malign activities throughout the Middle East, including the support of terrorist groups. At least three of these companies have falsified documents to conceal the Iranian origin of these shipments. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the U.S. Department of State sanctioned nine entities and three individuals who have engaged in activity that could enable the Iranian regime’s violent behavior. The actions of these individuals and entities provide revenue to the regime that it may use to fund terror and other destabilizing activities, such as the recent rocket attacks on Iraqi and Coalition forces located at Camp Taji in Iraq. Our sanctions will deprive the regime of critical income from its petrochemical industry and further Iran’s economic and diplomatic isolation. The United States will continue to fully enforce our sanctions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On March 18, the U.S. Department of State imposed sanctions, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13846, on the following seven entities for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has announced its intent to designate Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla, the new leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Section 1(a)(ii)(B) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886. Al-Mawla is also known as Hajji Abdallah, ‘Abdul Amir Muhammad Sa’id Salbi, and Abu-‘Umar al-Turkmani. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is designating a senior Assad regime official who is responsible for the violence and the disastrous humanitarian crisis in northern Syria. The Department of State is imposing sanctions under Executive Order 13894 on Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Ali Abdullah Ayoub for his deliberate actions since December 2019 to prevent a ceasefire from taking hold in northern Syria. This obstruction resulted in almost a million people being displaced and in dire need of humanitarian aid in the midst of a cold winter in Idlib. The Assad regime’s forces, backed by Russia, have been responsible for the continued bombardments that destroyed schools and hospitals and killed civilians, including medical professionals and first responders risking their lives to save others. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Zoobia Shahnaz was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert for providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, specifically more than $150,000 to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and attempting to travel to Syria to join ISIS. Shahnaz pleaded guilty in November 2018. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On March 12, the United States took action against another Russian oil brokerage firm helping to prop up the former Maduro regime by sanctioning TNK Trading International S.A. (TNK) for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. Following the recent Treasury designation of Rosneft Trading S.A. (RTSA), TNK was directly involved in efforts to assist RTSA evade U.S. sanctions. TNK, incorporated in Switzerland, is a subsidiary of Russian state-controlled Rosneft Oil Company. These actions follow the designation of RTSA on February 18, 2020, and the subsequent change in allocation of cargoes of Venezuelan oil from RTSA to TNK. In January 2020 alone, TNK purchased nearly 14 million barrels of crude oil from Petroleos de Venezuela (PdVSA). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States is committed to preventing and combating narcotics trafficking globally. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) yesterday designated four Mexican businesses pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) due to their links to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) and the Los Cuinis Drug Trafficking Organization (Los Cuinis), two of the most powerful drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. This action reinforces the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) efforts through Project Python, a nationwide operation to disrupt CJNG through a series of coordinated arrests, seizures, and indictments. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States designated Anselem Sanyatwe and Owen Ncube for their role in human rights abuses related to political repression in Zimbabwe. These designations demonstrate continued U.S. commitment to promoting accountability for human rights abuses. The State Department urges the Government of Zimbabwe to immediately end state-sponsored violence including against peaceful protesters, civil society, labor leaders and members of the opposition in Zimbabwe, and to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations and abuse. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated Anselem Sanyatwe (Sanyatwe) and Owen Ncube (Ncube) for their involvement in human rights abuses including directing an attack on peaceful demonstrators and political opponents in Zimbabwe. OFAC is concurrently removing sanctions on Ray Kaukonde, Shuvai Ben Mahofa, Sithokozile Mathuthu, and Naison Ndlovu, all of whom were previously designated pursuant to Treasury’s Zimbabwe sanctions authorities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated four Mexican businesses pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) because of their links to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) and the Los Cuinis Drug Trafficking Organization (Los Cuinis), two closely allied Mexican drug trafficking organizations. CJNG and Los Cuinis funnel fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the United States, fueling drug addiction across the nation. Today’s action is the result of OFAC’s ongoing collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which today executed Project Python, a nationwide operation to disrupt CJNG through a series of coordinated arrests, seizures, and indictments. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing a final rule to remove the Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 595, from the Code of Federal Regulations. OFAC is taking this action because the national emergency on which part 595 was based was terminated by the President on September 9, 2019. The rule is currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on March 10, 2020. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – On March 6, 2020 a federal district court issued an ‘Order Granting in Part Plaintiff States’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction.’ This court order states that the Department of State is enjoined ‘from implementing or enforcing the regulation entitled International Traffic In Arms Regulations: U.S. Munitions List Categories I, II, and III, 85 Fed. Reg. 3819 (Jan. 23, 2020) insofar as it alters the status quo restrictions on technical data and software directly related to the production of firearm or firearm parts using a 3D-printer or similar equipment.’ The Department of State is complying with the terms of this order and will provide further guidance on the DDTC website, as appropriate. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP), the primary law enforcement entity in Nicaragua, for its role in serious human rights abuse in Nicaragua. Additionally, OFAC designated three NNP commissioners, Juan Antonio Valle Valle, Luis Alberto Perez Olivas, and Justo Pastor Urbina, for their involvement as senior officials of the Government of Nicaragua and leaders of the NNP. OFAC’s designation is directed at the NNP as an institution responsible for human rights abuses in Nicaragua. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Columbia, Missouri, man was sentenced to 236 months in prison in federal court today for his role in making preparations to launch a terrorist attack with persons he believed were members of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), but who were actually undercover law enforcement employees, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Garrison for the Western District of Missouri. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today sanctioned two Chinese nationals involved in laundering stolen cryptocurrency from a 2018 cyber intrusion against a cryptocurrency exchange. This cyber intrusion is linked to Lazarus Group, a U.S.-designated North Korean state-sponsored malicious cyber group. Specifically, OFAC is designating ???, Tian Yinyin (Tian), and ???, Li Jiadong (Li), for having 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. Tian and Li are also being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Lazarus Group. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing General License 8 ‘Authorizing Certain Humanitarian Trade Transactions Involving the Central Bank of Iran’ and related FAQs ?in conjunction with the formalization of the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA), which became fully operational today. A fact sheet detailing the terms of the SHTA can be found here. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States welcomes the action taken by the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 al-Qa’ida and ISIL (Da’esh) Sanctions Committee on February 23 to add ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA) and ISIS-Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS) to its designations list. The United States designated ISIS-WA and ISIS-GS as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Specially Designated Global Terrorists under Executive Order 13224 on May 23, 2018 and February 28, 2018, respectively. ISIS-GS and ISIS-WA are the second and third ISIS affiliate designated by the UN. ISIS-Khorasan was the first listed at the UN in May 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that Société Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques SCRL (‘SITA’), a service provider for the civilian air transportation industry headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, has agreed to pay $7,829,640 to settle its potential civil liability for 9,256 apparent violations of the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 594 (GTSR) (the ‘Apparent Violations’). Specifically, SITA appears to have violated §§ 594.201 and 594.204 of the GTSR between April 2013 and February 2018 when it provided commercial services and software that were subject to U.S. jurisdiction, and benefitted certain SITA member airlines after OFAC designated those airlines as specially designated global terrorists pursuant to Executive Order 13224. The total transaction value of the Apparent Violations was $2,428,200. OFAC determined that SITA did not voluntarily self-disclose the Apparent Violations, and that the Apparent Violations constitute a non-egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States is sanctioning 13 foreign entities and individuals in China, Iraq, Russia, and Turkey pursuant to the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA). This action includes new sanctions against five entities/individuals in China (Luo Dingwen, Baoding Shimaotong Enterprises Services Company Limited, Gaobeidian Kaituo Precise Instrument Co. Ltd , and Wuhan Sanjiang Import and Export Co., Ltd) and Turkey (Eren Carbon Graphite Industrial Trading Company, Ltd) for supporting Iran’s missile program. The Chinese individual Luo Dingwen has also been involved in supplying sensitive items to Pakistan’s weapons program. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – DDTC is providing a summary handout of the changes to the ITAR that are coming March 25, 2020, via the recently published ‘Encryption Rule’ and what they mean to the regulated community (see 12/26/19 News and Events entry: ‘International Traffic in Arms Regulations; Activities That Are Not Exports, Reexports, Retransfers, or Temporary Imports; Storage and Transmission of Encrypted Data’). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today took action against five members of Iran’s Guardian Council and its Elections Supervision Committee, which are appointed by Iran’s Supreme Leader or his appointees. The Guardian Council, which is responsible for “vetting” candidates, uses this power to disqualify Iranians from competing in elections. Treasury’s action targets Ahmad Jannati, the Secretary of the Guardian Council, and Mohammad Yazdi, a member of Iran’s Guardian Council who was formerly Iran’s first Judiciary Chief, and three additional members of its Elections Supervisory Committee. The Supreme Leader uses his appointees to deprive the Iranian people of free and fair elections by blocking candidates that do not mirror his radical views. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – OFAC has released a Quarterly Report of Licensing Activities pursuant to Section 906(b) of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA), covering activities undertaken by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under Section 906(a)(1) of the TSRA from January through March 2019. Under the procedures established in its TSRA-related regulations, OFAC processes license applications requesting authorization to export agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Iran and Sudan under the specific licensing regime set forth in Section 906 of the TSRA. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated Rosneft Trading S.A., the Swiss-incorporated, Russian-controlled oil brokerage firm pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. OFAC also designated the chairman of the board of directors and president of Rosneft Trading S.A., Didier Casimiro, for purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Rosneft Trading S.A. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On February 7, the United States identified the Venezuelan state-owned airline Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronauticas y Servicios Aereos, S.A. (CONVIASA) as blocked property of the Government of Venezuela pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13884. Instead of acting as a bridge between peoples, this airline is being used to ferry Maduro and his inner circle to confer with dictators, authoritarian regimes, and other criminals around the world. As a result of this action, U.S. persons are on notice that they may not transact with this airline or these aircraft – to include chartering, contracting, refueling, or purchasing them – except as otherwise authorized. This action increases pressure on Maduro to negotiate seriously and open a path out of the crisis through a transitional government that will lead to free and fair presidential elections. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today identified the Venezuelan state-owned airline Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronauticas y Servicios Aereos, S.A. (CONVIASA) as subject to sanctions as part of the Government of Venezuela, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13884. Today’s action also identifies the CONVIASA fleet of aircraft as blocked property of the Government of Venezuela pursuant to E.O. 13884. Conviasa and its fleet have been blocked since the issuance of E.O. 13884 of August 5, 2019, and today they have been added to the OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals List to ensure strengthened compliance with U.S. sanctions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing regulations to implement Executive Order 13882 of July 26, 2019 (‘Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Mali’). These regulations are currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on February 7, 2020. OFAC intends to supplement this part 555 with a more comprehensive set of regulations, which may include additional interpretive and definitional guidance and additional general licenses and statements of licensing policy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — On Feb. 3, Judge Staci M. Yandle of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois entered an order revoking the naturalized U.S. citizenship of convicted terrorist, Iyman Faris. Faris, a native of Pakistan, was convicted in 2003 of providing material support to al Qaeda and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Among other actions in support of al Qaeda, in 2002, Faris evaluated the practicality of a plot to collapse the Brooklyn Bridge in New York using gas cutters, communicating his assessment to al Qaeda via coded messages. In its order revoking his U.S. citizenship, the court found that Faris was ineligible for naturalization and unlawfully procured his citizenship through willful misrepresentation of material facts. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State reached an administrative agreement with Airbus SE to resolve the alleged civil violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 22 U.S.C. § 2751 et seq., and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130. The Department of State and Airbus SE reached this settlement following an extensive compliance review by the Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance in the Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

OTTAWA – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced today that Canada is imposing sanctions under the Special Economic Measures Act on six individuals involved in the illegitimate elections held in Russian-occupied Crimea on September 8, 2019, in concert with the United States and the European Union. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – At the invitation of Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod, the Political Directors of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS Small Group met today in Copenhagen to reaffirm our shared determination to continue the fight against Daesh/ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and to create conditions for an enduring defeat of the terrorist group through a comprehensive, multifaceted effort. International law, including international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and international human rights law, as well as relevant UN Security Council resolutions, must be upheld under any circumstances. The Political Directors agreed to strengthen cooperation across all lines of effort in order to ensure that Daesh/ISIS and its affiliates are unable to reconstitute any territorial enclave or threaten our homelands, people, and interests. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the President of the United States signed into law the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), initiating a new chapter in U.S. trade policy. Mexico and the United States have now passed the USMCA, and we look forward to the Canadian Parliament’s consideration of this agreement. The passage of the USMCA is a historic achievement. It is the gold standard of trade agreements. The USMCA modernizes and updates our trade relations and will promote prosperity and strengthen North American competitiveness. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated eight individuals and one entity in response to Russia’s continued aggression toward Ukraine and attempted occupation of Crimea. Seven of these individuals were also designated yesterday by the European Union (EU). In addition to the United States, Canada designated these same individuals today as part of a coordinated action in a strong demonstration of the international community’s continued condemnation of Russia’s interference in Crimean politics. Additionally, OFAC designated one individual and one entity providing rail services in support of Russia’s efforts to deepen the economic integration of Russia and Crimea. Today’s action demonstrates Treasury’s unwavering commitment to continue holding Russia accountable for its destabilizing activity in Ukraine. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Francisco Joseph Arcila Ramirez (Arcila), a Colombian national and South Florida resident was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez for illegally selling firearms to the National Liberation Army (ELN), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and a violent paramilitary group operating in South America. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced that Eagle Shipping International (USA) LLC (“Eagle Shipping”), a Marshall Islands company with its headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, has agreed to pay $1,125,000 to settle its potential civil liability for 36 apparent violations of the Burmese Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 537 (BSR) (the ‘Apparent Violations’). The Apparent Violations involve Eagle Shipping’s dealings in the property interests of Myawaddy Trading Limited (‘Myawaddy’), which at all relevant times was identified on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons?, and the provision of transportation services from Burma to Singapore for a land reclamation project for the benefit of Myawaddy, in apparent violation of § 537.201 of the BSR. The total transaction value of the Apparent Violations was $1,796,400. OFAC determined that Eagle Shipping voluntarily self-disclosed the Apparent Violations, and that the Apparent Violations constitute an egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A 36-year-old resident of Tulalip, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 85 months in prison for four federal felonies related to illegal gun possession and trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. HANY VELETANLIC, a citizen of Bosnia legally residing in the United States, was found guilty of violating the Arms Export Control Act, illegally possessing two unregistered silencers, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. VELETANLIC was convicted in February 2019 following a two-day jury trial. At sentencing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said that VELETANLIC had run an illegal “lucrative business” and taken ‘quite sophisticated steps’ to hide his conduct. The Court emphasized that sending guns to countries with restrictions on guns was very serious conduct. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – The Department of State amends the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to revise Categories I- firearms, close assault weapons and combat shotguns, II- guns and armament, and III-ammunition/ordnance of the U.S. Munitions List (USML) to describe more precisely the articles that provide a critical military or intelligence advantage or, in the case of weapons, perform an inherently military function and thus warrant export and temporary import control on the USML. These revisions complete the initial review of the USML that the Department began in 2011. Items not subject to the ITAR or to the exclusive licensing jurisdiction of any other set of regulations are subject to the Export Administration Regulations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified fifteen aircraft as blocked property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13884, which blocks the property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced that Park Strategies, LLC (‘Park Strategies’), a lobbying firm located in New York, New York, has paid $12,150 to settle its potential civil liability for apparent violations of the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 594 (GTSR). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A criminal complaint was filed yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging Mimi Ould Baba, 32, a citizen of Mali, with the murder of U.S. citizen Michael J. Riddering and conspiring to provide material support, including personnel (including himself), services, and property to two designated foreign terrorist organizations, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and al-Murabitoun. The defendant is currently in custody in Mali pending investigation and prosecution by Malian authorities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Five men, all associated with the front company “Business World” in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and including Muhammad Kamran Wali (Kamran), 41, of Pakistan; Muhammad Ahsan Wali (Ahsan), 48, and Haji Wali Muhammad Sheikh (Haji), 82, both of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Ashraf Khan Muhammad (Khan) of Hong Kong; and Ahmed Waheed (Waheed), 52, of Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom, were indicted in federal court for conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Export Control Reform Act. The grand jury returned the indictment on Oct. 16, 2019, and it was unsealed today. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, 39, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, and Majid Ghorbani, 60, an Iranian citizen and resident of California, have been sentenced to prison terms of 38 months and 30 months, respectively, for their criminal convictions relating to their conduct conducting surveillance of and collecting identifying information about American citizens and U.S. nationals who are members of the group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced two North Korea-related designations focusing on the Government of North Korea’s continued supply of illicit labor to overseas markets. The Government of North Korea continues to use the illicit exportation of North Korean labor to generate income overseas in contravention of United Nations (UN) sanctions… Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated seven Venezuelan government officials who, on behalf of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, led a failed attempt to illegitimately seize control of the National Assembly and block interim President Juan Guaidó and other deputies from participating in a constitutionally required election of National Assembly leadership… Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On January 13, the United States sanctioned seven current or former officials of the former Maduro regime involved in attempting to circumvent the Venezuelan National Assembly’s democratic process. These Maduro-associated individuals attempted to siege the National Assembly palace and hold a non-constitutionally sanctioned election to prevent a majority of legitimate Venezuelan legislators from voting. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is taking a series of actions in response to Iran’s attacks against U.S. forces and interests, and to deprive the Iranian regime of revenue to conduct its violent foreign policy. We will continue to hold individuals and entities accountable for supporting the Iranian regime’s many fronts of terror. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against eight senior Iranian regime officials who have advanced the regime’s destabilizing objectives, as well as the largest steel, aluminum, copper, and iron manufacturers in Iran, who collectively generate billions of dollars annually… Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that Iran continues to be the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and that Iran has threatened United States military assets and civilians through the use of military force and support to Iranian-backed militia groups. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, Asia Siddiqui was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Sterling Johnson Jr. for her role in planning to build a bomb for use in a terrorist attack in the United States. Siddiqui and her co-defendant, Noelle Velentzas, pleaded guilty on Aug. 23, 2019, to a charge of teaching or distributing information pertaining to the making and use of an explosive, destructive device, or weapon of mass destruction in furtherance of a planned federal crime of violence. Velentzas is awaiting sentencing. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned South Sudanese First Vice President Taban Deng Gai (Deng) for his role in serious human rights abuses. The United States designated Deng pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. This decision underscores the U.S. government’s continuing commitment to promote and protect human rights globally and reflects our determination to promote accountability of all those who seek to undermine the South Sudanese peace process. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the First Vice President of South Sudan, Taban Deng Gai (Deng) for his involvement in serious human rights abuse, including the disappearance and deaths of civilians. Deng has acted to divide and sow distrust within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – In Opposition (SPLM-IO) and broader Nuer community, which has extended the conflict in South Sudan and deteriorated the reconciliation and peace process. The Government of South Sudan’s refusal to create political space for dissenting voices — from opposition parties, ethnic groups, civil society, or media — has been a key factor in the country’s inability to implement a peace agreement and ongoing acts of violence against civilians. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing amended Venezuela-related General License 6A, ‘Authorizing Certain Activities Necessary to the Wind Down of Operations or Existing Contracts with Globovision Tele C.A. or Globovision Tele CA, Corp.’ Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Secretary of State announced his intent to designate Aas’ib Ahl al-Haq — also known as AAH — as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Additionally, the Secretary has designated AAH and two of its leaders, brothers Qays and Laith al-Khazali, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – The Department of State amends the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to create a definition of “activities that are not exports, reexports, retransfers, or temporary imports” by combining existing text from the regulations with new text regarding secured unclassified technical data. The activities included in the new definition are: Launching items into space, providing technical data to U.S. persons within the United States or within a single country abroad, and moving a defense article between the states, possessions, and territories of the United States. The definition also clarifies that the electronic transmission and storage of properly secured unclassified technical data via foreign communications infrastructure does not constitute an export. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned five Malian individuals pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13882. This action, the first pursuant to this E.O., targets individuals threatening the peace, security, or stability of Mali, as well as an individual obstructing humanitarian assistance. E.O. 13882 also targets those threatening implementation of the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation, as well as threats to Malian institutions, Malian defense and security forces, international security presences, or peacekeeping operations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, today announced that Kevin Iman McCormick, 26, of Hamden, Connecticut, has been charged by indictment with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States is committed to preventing and combating narcotics trafficking globally. Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Guatemalan mayor Erik Salvador Suñiga Rodriguez, known as ‘El Pocho,’ and the Suñiga Rodriguez drug trafficking organization (Suñiga Rodriguez DTO (drug trafficking organization) or ‘Los Pochos’ DTO) as significant foreign narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (known as the ‘Kingpin Act’). OFAC designated four additional Guatemalan nationals for providing material support to Erik Suñiga Rodriguez and the Suñiga Rodriguez DTO. Additionally, OFAC designated five Guatemalan businesses associated with the Suñiga Rodriguez DTO. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two judges presiding over branches of the Iranian regime’s Revolutionary Court who, for years, have punished Iranian citizens and dual-nationals for exercising their freedoms of expression or assembly. In many cases, these judges sentenced political prisoners to death. Through their respective branches of the Revolutionary Courts, Abolghassem Salavati and Mohammad Moghisseh, both designated today, oversaw the Iranian regime’s miscarriage of justice in show trials in which journalists, attorneys, political activists, and members of Iran’s ethnic and religious minority groups were penalized for exercising their freedom of expression and assembly and sentenced to lengthy prison terms, lashes, and even execution. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Guatemalan mayor Erik Salvador Suniga Rodriguez, known as ‘El Pocho,’ and the Suniga Rodriguez drug trafficking organization (Suniga Rodriguez DTO or ‘Los Pochos DTO’) as significant foreign narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). OFAC designated four additional Guatemalan nationals for providing material support to Erik Suniga Rodriguez and the Suñiga Rodriguez DTO. Additionally, OFAC designated five Guatemalan businesses owned or controlled by these individuals. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) removed sanctions imposed on the Ventspils Freeport Authority, which was designated on December 9 for being owned or controlled by Latvian oligarch Aivars Lembergs (Lembergs). Following the designation of Lembergs and the Ventspils Freeport Authority, the Latvian government passed legislation effectively ending Lembergs’ control of the Ventspils Freeport Authority. According to the legislation, the port will be supervised by four representatives appointed by the Latvian government. Lembergs resigned from the Ventspils Freeport Authority on December 10, 2019, where he had previously served as the Chairman of the Board. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Sunarko Kuntjoro, 68, a citizen of Indonesia, and three Indonesian-based companies, PT MS Aero Support (PTMS), PT Kandiyasa Energi Utama (PTKEU), and PT Antasena Kreasi (PTAK), were charged today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Dec. 10, 2019, with violating U.S. export laws related to U.S. sanctions against Iran. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Law Enforcement Coordination Group (LECG), which focuses on countering Hizballah’s terrorist and illicit activities, convened at Europol’s headquarters in the Netherlands on December 16-17, for its eighth meeting. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and financial practitioners from the Middle East, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America, participated in this session, alongside specialists from Europol. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two Government of South Sudan officials, Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Elia Lomuro and Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs Kuol Manyang Juuk, for their involvement in actions undermining peace in South Sudan. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced that Ahmad Khalil Elshazly, 22, of West Haven, Connecticut, has been charged by a federal criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two individuals pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13664 for expanding or extending the conflict in South Sudan including by obstructing the reconciliation process or peace talks. Treasury will not hesitate to target those who have perpetuated the conflict in South Sudan and will continue to apply pressure on the senior leadership of South Sudan to take concrete measures to bring peace and stability to the country. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, as the Lebanese people demand reform and an end to corruption, the United States has designated two prominent Lebanese businessmen whose illicit financial activities, including money laundering and tax evasion, have provided financial support for Hizballah. This action applies to two Hizballah financiers, one of their business partners, and 17 affiliated entities, pursuant to E.O. 13224. The United States strongly supports the Lebanese people’s demands for reform and an end to corruption. Over the coming months, we plan to accelerate our work to counter corruption and end terrorist financing. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A 45-year-old international terrorist imprisoned in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has been convicted of additional offenses in the Eastern District of Texas. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced the release of a revised policy for business organizations regarding voluntary disclosures of export control and sanctions violations (Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy or VSD Policy). The Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy builds on the guidance NSD issued in October 2016, and will be formally incorporated into the Justice Manual. This revised VSD Policy signals the Department’s continued emphasis on corporate voluntary self-disclosure, rewarding cooperating companies with a presumption in favor of a non-prosecution agreement and significant reductions in penalties. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against two prominent Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)-based money launderers and their affiliated companies, including those that have generated tens of millions of dollars for Hizballah, its financiers, and their malign activities. These designations underscore the extent to which Hizballah and its affiliates engage in illicit economic activity that prioritizes the terrorist group’s own economic interests over those of the Lebanese people. The United States supports the Lebanese people’s demand to end corruption and the terrorist financing that thrives in corrupt environments. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States announces new financial sanctions against Daniel Ortega’s son Rafael Ortega and three Nicaraguan companies. This new action furthers the United States’ unwavering commitment to use all economic and diplomatic tools to hold the government of Daniel Ortega accountable for acts of corruption and unconscionable human rights violations, and to support the Nicaraguan people’s struggle for a return to democracy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a Finding of Violation to Aero Sky Aircraft Maintenance, Inc. (‘Aero Sky’), a Texas company located in San Antonio, that negotiated and entered into a contract and contingent contract with Mahan Air in violation of the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 594 (GTSR). On October 12, 2011, OFAC designated Mahan Air, an Iranian commercial airline company, pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for providing financial, material, and technological support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force. Accordingly, Mahan Air is identified on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons. OFAC determined that in 2016, Aero Sky violated § 594.201(a) of the GTSR by dealing in the property and interests in property of Mahan Air when Aero Sky negotiated and entered into a contract and a second contingent contract with Mahan Air. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Rafael Antonio Ortega Murillo, son of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, and two companies he owns or controls and uses to finance and launder money for the Ortega regime. OFAC also designated Distribuidor Nicaraguense de Petroleo S.A. (DNP), a company owned or controlled by Rafael Antonio Ortega Murillo as well as by Nicaraguan Vice President and First Lady Rosario Maria Murillo De Ortega. DNP has been used by members of the Ortega family for their own personal enrichment from non-competitive contracts with Nicaraguan government institutions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated an Iranian shipping network involved in smuggling lethal aid from Iran to Yemen on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Last month, the U.S. government seized weapons smuggled on a small boat destined for Yemen. Today’s action against this lethal aid network is yet another example of the U.S. government cutting off all avenues for the delivery of weapons to Houthi rebels. OFAC is also designating three Mahan Air general sales agents (GSA) based in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong. Treasury designated Iranian airline Mahan Air in 2011 for support to the IRGC-QF and today the Department of State designated Mahan Air pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382 – which targets weapons of mass destruction proliferators and their supporters. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is taking action against three Iranian entities linked to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and sanctioning eight other entities that helped smuggle weapons from Iran to Yemen. The State Department is announcing the designation of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), its China-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping Company Ltd, and the Iranian airline Mahan Air under Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of WMD and their delivery systems, as well as their supporters. The Iranian regime has continued to procure proliferation-sensitive items in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On December 10, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner announced a compromise agreement after months of intensive negotiations that will bring the United States, Mexico, and Canada closer to passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). They were hosted in Mexico City by President Lopez Obrador and Foreign Secretary Ebrard, along with Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Freeland. The USMCA is a new, modernized trade agreement for the 21st Century. It sets high standards for labor, the environment, digital trade, and more. The Department of State welcomes this opportunity to work with our partners in Canada and Mexico to improve free and fair trade among our three countries. Once implemented, the USMCA will protect North American jobs, raise economic prosperity, and continue to set the standard as the world’s economic powerhouse. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A 42-year-old Dallas, Texas, man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison following a conviction for multiple terrorism charges. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – This week and last, the United States announced 72 sanctions designations under the Global Magnitsky sanctions program. These actions target serious human rights abuse and corruption on a global scale, demonstrating the United States’ action to pursue tangible and significant consequences for those who undermine the rule of law, disregard internationally accepted human rights standards, and threaten the stability of international political and economic systems. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, on International Human Rights Day, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has taken action against 18 individuals located in Burma, Pakistan, Libya, Slovakia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and South Sudan for their roles in serious human rights abuse. Additionally, six entities have been designated for being owned or controlled by one of the aforementioned individuals. OFAC designated these individuals and entities pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Nihad Rosic, 31, of Utica, New York, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and one count of providing material support to terrorists. Rosic appeared today before Judge Catherine D. Perry who accepted his plea and set his sentencing for April 16, 2020. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Corruption is a global problem. It undermines the abilities of governments to adequately care for their citizens; erodes the legal, moral, and ethical fabric of society; and facilitates transnational crime. Today, on International Anti-Corruption Day, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is targeting corrupt actors and their networks across numerous countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Today’s action, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption. Additionally, two corrupt Venezuelan officials were also designated today, pursuant to Venezuela E.O. 13692, as amended, in light of their senior leadership roles in the Maduro regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On December 9, 2019, the United States sanctioned two officials aligned with the former Maduro regime pursuant to Executive Order 13692, as amended, which authorizes the designation of any person determined to be a current or former official of the Government of Venezuela. Gustavo Adolfo Vizcaino Gil and Juan Carlos Dugarte Padron used their position as Director General of the Government of Venezuela’s Administrative Service of Identification, Migration, and Immigration (SAIME) to corruptly enrich themselves at the expense of Venezuelans seeking passport services. Dugarte was Director General from April 2016 until June 2018, when Vizcaino replaced him. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States recently expressed its commitment to using its legal authorities to sanction corrupt individuals stealing the Iraqi people’s public wealth and killing and wounding peaceful protesters. Today, we are honoring that pledge by sanctioning four Iraqis implicated in serious human rights abuses and corruption. The Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Iranian-backed militia leaders Qais al-Khazali, Laith al-Khazali, and Husayn Falih ‘Aziz al-Lami, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, for their involvement in serious human rights abuses in Iraq. Additionally, OFAC designated Iraqi politician Khamis Farhan al-Khanjar al-Issawi for bribing government officials and for widespread corruption at the expense of the Iraqi people. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced the indictment of Romeo Xavier Langhorne, 30, of Roanoke, Virginia, who has been charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Langhorne was arrested in Roanoke, Virginia, on Nov. 15, 2019, pursuant to a criminal complaint, and he has been ordered detained pending trial. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified six vessels as blocked property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13884, which blocks the property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela. Additionally, OFAC identified the vessel Esperanza as blocked property of Caroil Transport Marine Ltd., which was designated on September 24, 2019, pursuant to E.O. 13850 for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. The Esperanza was previously listed as the Nedas on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, which was identified as blocked property on April 12, 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced that Ali Kourani, 35, was sentenced to 40 years in prison based on terrorism, sanctions, and immigration convictions arising from Kourani’s illicit work as an operative for the Islamic Jihad Organization, Hizballah’s external attack-planning component. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State designates former Guatemalan Minister of Communications, Infrastructure, and Housing Alejandro Sinibaldi due to his involvement in significant corruption. Mr. Sinibaldi engaged in and benefitted from public corruption in relation to his official duties and is now a fugitive from justice. This designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Div. F, P.L. 116-6), as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. A, P.L. 116-59). Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that officials of foreign governments have been involved in significant corruption, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On December 3, the United States identified six PDVSA-owned vessels, pursuant to E.O. 13884 or 13850, being used by the former Maduro regime to ship oil to Cuba. In addition, the Esperanza was identified as the new name for the vessel previously named the Nedas, which was blocked on April 12, 2019. These actions block the efforts by the Cuban and former Maduro regimes to evade sanctions that are intended to prevent the theft of Venezuela’s natural resources for corrupt purposes. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A newly unsealed superseding indictment has charged Russian and Italian nationals, a U.S. citizen and various companies in a conspiracy to evade international trade sanctions. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia unsealed the superseding indictment on Dec. 2, 2019, charging two Russian nationals, two Italian nationals, a U.S. citizen, and various companies with violating and conspiring the violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA), conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Virgil Griffith, a United States citizen, with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by traveling to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (‘DPRK’ or ‘North Korea’) in order deliver a presentation and technical advice on using cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to evade sanctions. Griffith was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport Thursday, Nov. 28, 2019 and was presented in federal court in Los Angeles Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced that Zachary Clark, 40, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested today in Brooklyn. Clark is charged in a criminal Complaint with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and distributing bomb-making instructions. Clark is expected to be presented later today before Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger in Manhattan federal court. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Cuban company Corporacion Panamericana S.A. pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Cubametales, an entity designated on July 3, 2019, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Samantha Marie Elhassani, aka Samantha Sally, 34, formerly of Elkhart, Indiana, pleaded guilty yesterday to a one-count Information charging her with concealment of terrorism financing in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339C. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana Thomas L. Kirsch II, FBI Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Mike McGarrity, and FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis field office Grant Mendenhall made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is amending the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 591, to incorporate additional Executive orders, add a general license authorizing U.S. Government activities, and add an interpretive provision. This regulatory amendment is currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on November 22, 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has concluded an administrative settlement with AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) of Simi Valley, California, to resolve alleged violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 22 U.S.C. § 2751 et seq., and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130. The Department of State and AV have reached this settlement following an extensive compliance review by the Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance in the Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

Luxembourg– On November 19 and 20, the Counter ISIS Finance Group (CIFG) convened its 56 member states and observers to discuss the ongoing global efforts to counter ISIS financing. This was the twelfth meeting of this group co-chaired by the United States, Italy, and Saudi Arabia. The CIFG, established in January 2015 as one of five working groups within the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, is a broad international group formed to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIS. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — On May 16, 2019, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei) and sixty-eight of its non-U.S. affiliates were added to the Entity List. On August 19, 2019, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added forty-six additional non-U.S. affiliates of Huawei to the Entity List. The Huawei entities were added to the Entity List because they pose a significant risk of involvement in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. Those additions to the Entity List imposed a licensing requirement under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) regarding the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) of any item subject to the EAR to any of the listed Huawei entities… Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — On May 16, 2019, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei) and sixty-eight of its non-U.S. affiliates were added to the Entity List. On August 19, 2019, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added forty-six additional non-U.S. affiliates of Huawei to the Entity List. The Huawei entities were added to the Entity List because they pose a significant risk of involvement in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. Those additions to the Entity List imposed a licensing requirement under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) regarding the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) of any item subject to the EAR to any of the listed Huawei entities… Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Today, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it will extend for 90 days the Temporary General License (TGL) authorizing specific, limited engagements in transactions involving the export, reexport, and transfer of items – under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) – to Huawei and its non-U.S. affiliates which are subject to the Entity List. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States sanctioned nine individuals and organizations who were providing material support to the terrorist group ISIS in the Middle East and South Asia. ISIS remains a threat to global security and stability, and the United States continues to work closely with the countries of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (D-ISIS) to ensure we are protecting our people from this heinous terrorist group. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two Turkey-based Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) procurement agents and four ISIS-linked companies operating in Syria, Turkey, and across the Gulf and Europe for providing critical financial and logistical support to ISIS. Additionally, Treasury is acting against an Afghanistan-based organization, Nejaat Social Welfare Organization, for using false charitable pretenses as a cover to facilitate the transfer of funds and support the activities of the terrorist group’s branch in Afghanistan, ISIS – Khorasan (ISIS-K). Treasury also took action against two senior officials affiliated with this organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – October 15, 2019 — The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces arms sales of $55.4 billion for Fiscal Year 2019. This total increases the three-year rolling average to $51 billion, demonstrating continued strength in the sales of U.S. defense articles and services to allies and foreign partners. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The suspected leader of a Chicago-area street gang has been arrested for allegedly attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). JASON BROWN, also known as ‘Abdul Ja’Me,’ provided $500 in cash to an individual on three separate occasions this year, with the understanding that the money would be wired to an ISIS soldier engaged in active combat in Syria, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Unbeknownst to Brown, the individual to whom he provided the money was confidentially working with law enforcement, and the purported ISIS fighter was actually an undercover law enforcement officer, the complaint states. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The leader of a Chicago-area street gang has been arrested for allegedly attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Jason Brown, also known as ‘Abdul Ja’Me,’ allegedly provided $500 in cash to an individual on three separate occasions this year, with the understanding that the money would be wired to an ISIS soldier engaged in active combat in Syria, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Unbeknownst to Brown, the individual to whom he provided the money was confidentially working with law enforcement, and the purported ISIS fighter was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — With the objective of strengthening cooperation among governments to counter transnational crime and terrorism, the Department of Justice’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), Office of International Affairs and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Criminal Division and the Department’s National Security Division, along with experts from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and the United States with experience in countering terrorism, terrorist financing, and transnational crime met for the first time as a Regional Security Mechanism (RSM) in Asunción, Paraguay on Nov. 12 and 13. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, aka Siki Ramiz Hodzic, 45, of St. Louis County, Missouri, was sentenced to 96 months in prison for conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and providing material support to terrorists. Hodzic appeared today before Judge Catherine D. Perry. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced that Behzad Pourghannad was sentenced yesterday to 46 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to export carbon fiber from the United States to Iran between 2008 and 2013. Pourghannad pleaded guilty on Aug. 29, 2019,before United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison. United States District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti imposed yesterday’s sentence. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $210,600 settlement with Apollo Aviation Group, LLC (‘Apollo,’ now d/b/a Carlyle Aviation Partners Ltd.). Apollo, a U.S. company organized and headquartered in Florida, has agreed to settle its potential civil liability for 12 apparent violations of the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 538. Specifically, Apollo appears to have violated §§ 538.201 and 538.205 when it leased three aircraft engines to an entity incorporated in the United Arab Emirates, which then subleased the engines to a Ukrainian airline, which then installed the engines on an aircraft wet leased to Sudan Airways (‘Sudan Air’). At the time of the transactions, Sudan Air was identified on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons as meeting the definition of ‘Government of Sudan.’ Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated three Nicaraguan government officials, Ramon Antonio Avellan Medal, Lumberto Ignacio Campbell Hooker, and Roberto Jose Lopez Gomez, who have had a role in directing entities engaged in human rights abuses, election fraud, and corruption. Additionally, Ramon Antonio Avellan Medal is being designated for human rights abuse pursuant to the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018 (NHRAA). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) Program is offering a reward for information on two senior al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) leaders. RFJ is offering up to $6 million for information leading to the identification or location of Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki and up to $4 million for information leading to the identification or location of Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has designated Amadou Kouffa as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons who have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism. Today’s designation seeks to deny Kouffa the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of his property and interests that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or hereafter come within the possession or control of U.S. persons, have been blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, 39, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, and Majid Ghorbani, 60, an Iranian citizen and resident of California, have entered pleas of guilty to charges stemming from their conduct conducting surveillance of and collecting identifying information about American citizens and U.S. nationals who are members of the Iranian dissident group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing amended Venezuela-related General License 34A ‘Authorizing Transactions Involving Certain Government of Venezuela Persons’ and new Venezuela-related General License 35? ‘Authorizing Certain Administrative Transactions with the Government of Venezuela.’ In conjunction with these general licenses, OFAC is publishing new and amended Frequently Asked Questions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified five current officials of the Government of Venezuela pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13884, which blocks the property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela and those who have acted or purported to have acted on its behalf. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Maple Heights man pleaded guilty to crimes related to his plot to launch a terrorist attack in Cleveland on Independence Day. The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General of National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman for the Northern District of Ohio, and Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith for the FBI Cleveland Field Office. Demetrius Nathaniel Pitts, aka Abdur Raheem Rafeeq, aka Salah ad-Deen Osama Waleed, 50, pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, threats against the President of the United States and threats against family members of the President of the United States. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – OFAC has released Quarterly Reports of Licensing Activities pursuant to Section 906(b) of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA)?, covering activities undertaken by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under Section 906(a)(1) of the TSRA from January through September 2018. Under the procedures established in its TSRA-related regulations, OFAC processes license applications requesting authorization to export agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Iran and Sudan under the specific licensing regime set forth in Section 906 of the TSRA. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today against Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and nine individuals who are appointees of, or have acted for or on behalf of, Ali Khamenei, the Iranian regime’s unelected Supreme Leader whose office is responsible for advancing Iran’s radical agenda. This action seeks to block funds from flowing to a shadow network of Ali Khamenei’s military and foreign affairs advisors who have for decades oppressed the Iranian people, exported terrorism, and advanced destabilizing policies around the world. Specifically, the action targets Ali Khamenei’s appointees in the Office of the Supreme Leader, the Expediency Council, the Armed Forces General Staff, and the Judiciary. Treasury’s action coincides with the 40th anniversary of Iranian militants seizing the U.S. embassy in Tehran, holding more than 50 Americans hostage for 444 days. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today OFAC extended the expiration date of two general licenses related to GAZ Group by issuing Ukraine-related General License No. 13M- Authorizing Certain Transactions Necessary to Divest or Transfer Debt, Equity, or Other Holdings in Certain Blocked Persons, and Ukraine-related General License No. 15G?- Authorizing Certain Activities Necessary to Maintenance or Wind Down of Operations or Existing Contracts with GAZ Group, and Certain Automotive Safety and Environmental Activities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has submitted the information collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 we are requesting comments on this collection from all interested individuals and organizations. The purpose of this Notice is to allow 30 days for public comment. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Pursuant to Section 1245 of the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (IFCA), the Secretary of State has made two findings: one identifying the construction sector of Iran as being controlled directly or indirectly by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); and one identifying four strategic materials as ones that are being used in connection with the nuclear, military, or ballistic missile programs of Iran. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Secretary Pompeo is continuing restrictions on the Iranian regime’s nuclear program. This decision will help preserve oversight of Iran’s civil nuclear program, reduce proliferation risks, constrain Iran’s ability to shorten its “breakout time” to a nuclear weapon, and prevent the regime from reconstituting sites for proliferation-sensitive purposes. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

RIYADH – Today, the seven member nations of the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) jointly designated 25 targets affiliated with the Iranian regime’s terror-support networks in the region. This is the TFTC’s largest joint designation to date, and is focused on entities supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s regional proxy, Hizballah. Several of the businesses targeted in this action are providing financial support to the Basij Resistance Force (Basij), a paramilitary force subordinate to the IRGC that have long been used as shock troops by the regime to oppress domestic opposition with brutal displays of violence, while also recruiting, training and deploying fighters to fight in IRGC-fueled conflicts across the region. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – This is a great day for United States, the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and people all across the world who have suffered far too long from the cruelty of terrorism. ISIS’s leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, met the fate that he long-deserved, taken down during a raid on his hideout by U.S. Special Forces in northwest Syria last night. While there is still work left to do to ensure ISIS’s enduring defeat, Baghdadi’s death follows the path of scores of other ISIS leaders that have been removed from the battlefield and can no longer commit heinous atrocities or spread their vile ideology of hatred to poison and recruit vulnerable minds. His evil acts of beheadings, enslavement of women, rape, torture, and pure brutality follows him to his grave. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Departments of the Treasury and State announced a new humanitarian mechanism to ensure unprecedented transparency into humanitarian trade with Iran. This mechanism will help the international community perform enhanced due diligence on humanitarian trade to ensure that funds associated with permissible trade in support of the Iranian people are not diverted by the Iranian regime to develop ballistic missiles, support terrorism, or finance other malign activities. Concurrently, Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) identified Iran as a jurisdiction of primary money laundering concern under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act, and issued a new rulemaking to protect the U.S. financial system from malign Iranian financial activities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing amended General License 5A ‘Authorizing Certain Transactions Related to the Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. 2020 8.5 Percent Bond on or After January 22, 2020.’ In conjunction with this action, OFAC is amending Frequently Asked Question 595. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Central Ohio man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for exporting gas and oil pipeline parts to Iran for more than a decade in deliberate violation of a U.S. embargo and trade sanctions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) removed sanctions imposed on the Government of Turkey’s Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, as well as the Minister of National Defence, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Minister of the Interior, following Turkey’s pause in military operations in Syria as agreed to with the United States on October 17, 2019 (the October Ceasefire). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — In this final rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to further restrict exports and reexports of items to Cuba. Specifically, this rule amends the Cuba licensing policy in the EAR to establish a general policy of denial for leases of aircraft to Cuban state-owned airlines. This rule also amends License Exception Aircraft, Vessels and Spacecraft (AVS) to clarify that aircraft and vessels are not eligible for the license exception if they are leased to or chartered by a national of Cuba or a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — On October 16, 2019, United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa sentenced Tao Li, a 39-year-old Chinese national, to 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Li had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to export military- and space-grade technology to the People’s Republic of China without a license in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – This week the Treasury Department convened the first meeting of the Counter-Hizballah International Partnership (CHIP) to build multilateral cooperation for targeting Hizballah’s global financial networks. Over 30 countries representing the Middle East, the Western Hemisphere, Europe, Asia, and Africa participated in this event, which was held on the sidelines of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund Fall Meetings. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing amended General License 13D, ‘Authorizing Certain Activities Involving Nynas AB.’ Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced that TÜRKIYE HALK BANKASI A.S., aka ‘Halkbank,’ was charged today in a six-count indictment with fraud, money laundering, and sanctions offenses related to the bank’s participation in a multibillion-dollar scheme to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Richard M. Berman. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – October 15, 2019 — The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces arms sales of $55.4 billion for Fiscal Year 2019. This total increases the three-year rolling average to $51 billion, demonstrating continued strength in the sales of U.S. defense articles and services to allies and foreign partners. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the President issued a new Executive Order Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria. In addition, OFAC has issued Syria-related General License 1, ‘Official Business of the United States Government,’ General License 2, ‘Authorizing Certain Activities Necessary to the Wind Down of Operations or Existing Contracts Involving the Ministry of National Defence or the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Government of Turkey,’ and General License 3, ‘Authorizing Official Activities of Certain International Organizations Involving the Ministry of National Defence or the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Government of Turkey.’ Finally, OFAC has added the following names to its list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On Friday, the United States signaled its intent to take action in response to Turkey’s ongoing unilateral military offensive in northeast Syria. President Donald J. Trump has now signed an Executive Order to press Turkey to halt its military offensive against northeast Syria and adopt an immediate ceasefire. The Executive Order gives the Department of Treasury and the Department of State, the authority to consider and impose sanctions on individuals, entities, or associates of the Government of Turkey involved in actions that endanger civilians or lead to the further deterioration of peace, security, and stability in northeast Syria. Three senior Turkish officials, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry of Defense have been designated for sanctions under these authorities, concurrent with the signing of the Executive Order. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against two ministries and three senior Turkish Government officials in response to Turkey’s military operations in Syria. The Turkish Government’s actions are endangering innocent civilians, and destabilizing the region, including undermining the campaign to defeat ISIS. The Government of Turkey’s Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, as well as the Minister of National Defence, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Minister of the Interior are blocked as a result of today’s action. The designation of these ministries and officials is a result of the Turkish Government’s actions that further deteriorate peace, security, and stability of the region. We are prepared to impose additional sanctions on Government of Turkey officials and entities, as necessary. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Ashraf Seed Ahmed Al-Cardinal (Al-Cardinal) and Kur Ajing Ater (Ajing) for their involvement in corruption in South Sudan. Five companies determined to be owned or controlled by Al-Cardinal and one company owned or controlled by Ajing were also sanctioned. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Ashraf Seed Ahmed Al-Cardinal (Al-Cardinal) and Kur Ajing Ater (Ajing) for their involvement in bribery, kickbacks and procurement fraud with senior government officials. OFAC is also designating five companies determined to be owned or controlled by Al-Cardinal, and one company owned or controlled by Ajing. OFAC designated these individuals and entities pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Given Turkey’s ongoing military offensive in northeastern Syria, President Donald J. Trump intends to sign an Executive Order to dissuade Turkey from any further offensive military action in northeast Syria, including but not limited to indiscriminate targeting of civilians, targeting of civilian infrastructure, targeting of ethnic or religious minorities, or targeting or other actions that undermine the continued counterterrorism activities of the Syrian Democratic Forces. It is imperative that Turkey not allow even a single ISIS fighter to escape. The Order will delegate to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the President and the Secretary of State, authority to designate individuals and entities of the Government of Turkey involved in human rights abuses or actions leading to the further deterioration of peace, security, and stability in northeastern Syria. The Order also will give the Secretary of the Treasury the authority to impose secondary sanctions on those engaging in knowing and significant transactions with designated individuals and entities of the Government of Turkey. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned four individuals for corruption in South Africa pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Specifically, OFAC designated Ajay Gupta, Atul Gupta, Rajesh Gupta, and Salim Essa for their involvement in corrupt schemes with government officials and employees in state-owned enterprises for their own personal gain. As a result of today’s actions, any property, or interest in property, of those designated within U.S. jurisdiction is blocked. Additionally, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with blocked persons, including entities owned or controlled by designated persons. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign AssetsControl (OFAC) sanctioned members of a significant corruption network in South Africa that leveraged overpayments on government contracts, bribery, and other corrupt acts to fund political contributions and influence government actions. Specifically, OFAC designated Ajay Gupta, Atul Gupta, Rajesh Gupta, and Salim Essa for their involvement in corruption in South Africa pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Chinese government has instituted a highly repressive campaign against Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other members of Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) that includes mass detentions in internment camps; pervasive, high-tech surveillance; draconian controls on expressions of cultural and religious identities; and coercion of individuals to return from abroad to an often perilous fate in China. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Today, the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce announced that it will add 28 Chinese governmental and commercial organizations to the Entity List for engaging in or enabling activities contrary to the foreign policy interests of the United States. This action constricts the export of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to entities that have been implicated in human rights violations and abuses in China’s campaign targeting Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Naif Abdulaziz M. Alfallaj, 35, a citizen of Saudi Arabia and a former resident of Weatherford, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment for making a false statement to the FBI about his attendance at an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan in late 2000, as well as for visa fraud. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The United States and the United Kingdom entered into the world’s first ever CLOUD Act Agreement that will allow American and British law enforcement agencies, with appropriate authorization, to demand electronic data regarding serious crime, including terrorism, child sexual abuse, and cybercrime, directly from tech companies based in the other country, without legal barriers. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $2,718,581 settlement with The General Electric Company (‘GE’) of Boston, Massachusetts. GE, on behalf of three GE subsidiaries – Getsco Technical Services Inc., Bentley Nevada, and GE Betz (collectively, the ‘GE Companies’) – has agreed to settle its potential civil liability for 289 alleged violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 515 (CACR). Specifically, between December 2010 and February 2014, the GE Companies appear to have violated § 515.201(b) of the CACR on 289 occasions by accepting payment from The Cobalt Refinery Company (‘Cobalt’), an entity identified on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons since June 1995, for goods and services provided to a Canadian customer of GE. OFAC determined that GE voluntarily disclosed the apparent violations, and that the apparent violations constitute a non-egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States continues to take action in response to Russian attempts to influence U.S. democratic processes by imposing sanctions on four entities and seven individuals associated with the Internet Research Agency and its financier, Yevgeniy Prigozhin. This action increases pressure on Prigozhin by targeting his luxury assets, including three aircraft and a vessel. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against Russian actors that attempted to influence the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, though there was no indication that foreign actors were able to compromise election infrastructure that would have prevented voting, changed vote counts, or disrupted the tallying of votes. Today’s action also increases pressure on previously designated person Yevgeniy Prigozhin by targeting his physical assets, including three aircraft and a yacht, as well as employees of the Internet Research Agency, which Yevgeniy Prigozhin finances. While today’s action only targets Russian actors, the U.S. Government is safeguarding our democratic processes from adversaries — primarily Russia, Iran, and China — that may be seeking to influence the upcoming 2020 elections. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated one entity, three individuals, and five vessels participating in a sanctions evasion scheme to facilitate the delivery of jet fuel to Russian forces operating in Syria. Specifically, OFAC designated Maritime Assistance LLC, which is a front company supporting the U.S-designated company OJSC Sovfracht (‘Sovfracht’), originally designated for operating in Ukraine. Sovfracht is behind a sanctions evasion conspiracy, orchestrated by the three individuals designated today, to make payments and facilitate the transfer of supplies of jet fuel to Russian forces operating in Syria in support of the Assad government. In addition, today OFAC identified five vessels as blocked property of Transpetrochart Co. Ltd., a Russian company designated by OFAC in December 2016 for providing material support to Sovfracht. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A jury in Brooklyn returned a verdict yesterday finding Dilkhayot Kasimov, 31, a citizen of Uzbekistan and resident of Brooklyn, New York, guilty of conspiracy and of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The verdict followed a one-week trial before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II. When sentenced, Kasimov faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is taking further action as part of our maximum economic pressure campaign against the Iranian regime and those who enable its destabilizing behavior. We are imposing sanctions on certain Chinese firms for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the transport of oil from Iran, including knowledge of sanctionable conduct, contrary to U.S. sanctions. This is one of the largest sanctions actions the United States has taken against entities and individuals identified as transporting Iranian oil since our sanctions were re-imposed in November 2018. This action is aimed to deny the Iranian regime critical income to engage in foreign conflicts, advance its ballistic missile development, and fund terror around the world. We are committed to fully administering our sanctions; the Iranian regime must cease these destabilizing activities or face greater economic pressure and diplomatic isolation. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, will deliver opening remarks during the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) Side Event “Threats, Challenges, and Resources related to FTF and Family Repatriation” on September 24 in New York City. In his remarks, Ambassador Sales will call on countries to repatriate their citizens from Syria, prosecute those who have committed crimes, and rehabilitate and reintegrate those who have been exposed to terrorist ideology. He will also acknowledge the successful repatriation efforts of various countries, and highlight tools and resources that can help countries repatriate their citizens. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On September 24, the United States designated four companies that operate in Venezuela’s oil sector as sanctioned, and identified as blocked property four vessels associated with this activity. This action further targets Venezuela’s oil sector and the mechanisms used to transport oil to Nicolas Maduro’s Cuban benefactors, who continue to prop up the former regime. These sanctions are a follow-on to the designations and identifications announced on April 5 and 12 that targeted entities and vessels known to be involved in the transportation of crude oil from Venezuela to Cuba. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four entities that operate in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850. Additionally, OFAC identified four vessels that transport oil and other petroleum products from Venezuela to Cuba as blocked property owned or controlled by the four designated entities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Columbia, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to his role in making preparations to launch a terrorist attack with persons he believed were members of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), but who were actually undercover law enforcement employees. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Assistant Attorney General of National Security John C. Demers and United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald for the District of Minnesota today announced the sentencing of Negar Ghodskani, 40, to 27 months in prison for her participation in a conspiracy to facilitate the illegal export of controlled technology from the United States to Iran. Ghodskani, who pleaded guilty on Aug. 9, 2019, was sentenced this morning before United States District Judge Joan N. Ericksen in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – Pursuant to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) §127.10, the Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs is authorized to impose civil penalties for violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the ITAR. Imposition of civil penalties generally includes the payment of fines to the U.S. Treasury and a Consent Agreement, under which the company is required to institute enhanced compliance measures. The Consent Agreement outlines the measures required to enhance compliance programs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), the National Development Fund of Iran (NDF), and Etemad Tejarate Pars Co. under its counterterrorism authority, Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. Iran’s Central Bank has provided billions of dollars to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), its Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and its terrorist proxy, Hizballah. Iran’s NDF, which is Iran’s sovereign wealth fund and whose board of trustees include Iran’s president, oil minister, and the governor of the Central Bank, has been a major source of foreign currency and funding for the IRGC-QF and Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). Etemad Tejarate Pars, also designated today, is an Iran-based company that is used to conceal financial transfers for MODAFL’s military purchases, including funds originating from the NDF. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – In a failed attempt to disrupt the global economy, the Islamic Republic of Iran attacked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This act of aggression was sophisticated in its planning and brazen in its execution. Regardless of transparent attempts to shift blame, the evidence points to Iran—and only Iran. As a result, President Trump instructed his administration to substantially increase the already-historic sanctions on the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. Today, we have followed through on his direction. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced that Alexei Saab, 42, of Morristown, New Jersey, also known as Ali Hassan Saab, Alex Saab, or Rachid, was charged today in a nine-count indictment for offenses related to his support for Hizballah and separate marriage-fraud offenses. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On September 17, the United States designated three individuals and 16 entities connected with Nicolás Maduro’s associate Alex Saab and his business partner Alvaro Pulido. This action increases pressure on Saab and Pulido, who were designated on July 25, 2019, for their looting of Venezuela’s food subsidy program. With this action, the sanctioned individuals and entities will be denied access to the U.S. financial system. In addition, a freeze will be placed on any U.S. assets associated with such individuals and entities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – British Arab Commercial Bank plc (BACB), a commercial bank located in London, the United Kingdom (UK), with no offices, business or presence under U.S jurisdiction, processed 72 apparent violations of the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations (SSR) (previously found at 31 C.F.R. Part 538) totaling $190,700,000. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has determined that BACB did not make a voluntary self- disclosure of the apparent violations, and that these apparent violations constitute an egregious case. The total base penalty amount for the apparent violations was $381,400,000. In consultation with BACB’s domestic regulator, the United Kingdom’s Prudential Regulation Authority, OFAC determined that the Bank’s operating capacity was such that it would face disproportionate impact if required to pay the proposed penalty of $228,840,000. As a result, and in view of BACB’s operating capacity, the fact that it has represented that it ceased the conduct described below, its entering into a settlement agreement, and its maintenance of the compliance commitments articulated in the settlement agreement, BACB will remit $4,000,000 to settle these potential violations and its obligations to pay OFAC the remainder of the proposed penalty amount shall be suspended. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated three individuals and 16 entities for their connections to Alex Nain Saab Moran (Alex Saab) and his business partner, Alvaro Enrique Pulido Vargas (Alvaro Pulido), who have enabled former President Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) and his illegitimate regime to corruptly profit from imports of food aid and distribution in Venezuela. The individuals designated today include Alex Saab’s two brothers, Amir Luis Saab Moran (Amir Saab) and Luis Alberto Saab Moran (Luis Saab), as well as Alvaro Pulido’s son, David Enrique Rubio Gonzalez (Rubio). The 16 entities designated today are owned or controlled by the aforementioned individuals or Alex Saab himself. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON – A criminal information was filed on Sept. 11, 2019, against Alaa Mohd Abusaad, charging her with concealment of terrorism financing, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2339C and 2. Abusaad pleaded guilty to the charge today. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, United States Attorney Jay E. Town of the Northern District of Alabama, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. of the Birmingham Division made the announcement today. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions targeting three North Korean state-sponsored malicious cyber groups responsible for North Korea’s malicious cyber activity on critical infrastructure. Today’s actions identify North Korean hacking groups commonly known within the global cyber security private industry as ‘Lazarus Group,’ ‘Bluenoroff,’ and ‘Andariel’ as agencies, instrumentalities, or controlled entities of the Government of North Korea pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13722, based on their relationship to the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB). Lazarus Group, Bluenoroff, and Andariel are controlled by the U.S.- and United Nations (UN)-designated RGB, which is North Korea’s primary intelligence bureau. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Treasury, alongside our interagency colleagues, has been the tip of the spear in advancing the Administration’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran and disrupting support to terrorist organizations. This mission is at the heart of our work at Treasury and central to this Administration’s efforts to secure our homeland, promote peace in the Middle East, and – given Iran and Hizballah’s globe-spanning plots – protect the safety of people around the world. I had the heart-wrenching experience this past July to attend the 25th anniversary memorial of Iran and Hizballah’s bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires. I raise this because the sinister symbiosis between Iran and its proxy Hizballah finds no clearer expression than the AMIA bombing in Argentina. Perpetrated by a Hizballah suicide bomber at Iran’s direction and with its support, this massacre took the lives of 85 innocent civilians and wounded hundreds more. It followed a similar bombing just two years earlier in Buenos Aires that killed 29 and injured many others. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Ugandan Police Force (UPF), Kale Kayihura (Kayihura), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, for having been a leader or official of an entity that has engaged in or whose members have engaged in serious human rights abuse against Ugandan citizens, as well as for his involvement in corruption. This action complements the Department of State’s concurrent implementation of a visa ban for Kayihura under section 7031(c) of the Fiscal Year 2019 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act (P .L. 116-6) due to Kayihura’s involvement in gross violations of human rights. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million each for information leading to the identification of senior Hurras al-Din leaders Abu ‘Abd al-Karim al-Masri, Faruq al-Suri, and Sami al-Uraydi. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the President signed an Executive Order modernizing and expanding sanctions to combat terrorism. This Executive Order – the most significant update of terrorism designation authorities since the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks – enhances the United States’ ability to target and deprive terrorists and their enablers of financial, material, and logistical support worldwide. Today’s expansion of our counterterrorism authorities enables us to more effectively sanction the leaders of terrorist organizations, as well as those who participate in training to commit acts of terrorism. This Order also puts foreign financial institutions on notice that they risk sanctions if they knowingly conduct or facilitate any significant transactions on behalf of designated terrorists. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the President signed an Executive Order modernizing and strengthening sanctions authorities to combat terrorism. Today’s Executive Order is the most significant update of terrorist designation authorities since the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, and will enable the United States to more effectively sanction the leaders of terrorist organizations and those who train to commit acts of terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the President issued a new Executive Order (E.O.) “Modernizing Sanctions to Combat Terrorism.” This E.O. amends E.O. 13224, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism” and terminates the national emergency declared in E.O. 12947, “Prohibiting Transactions with Terrorists Who Threaten to Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process.” The amended E.O. strengthens and expands both the Department of State’s and the Treasury’s authorities to target terrorists and their supporters, including by imposing correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions on any foreign financial institution that knowingly conducted or facilitated any significant transaction for or on behalf of any Specially Designated Global Terrorist after the effective date. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) utilized newly enhanced counterterrorism sanctions authorities to designate a series of terrorist leaders, facilitators, and entities. Equipped with new tools from President Trump’s recently updated Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which became effective today, Treasury designated 15 leaders, individuals, and entities affiliated with terror groups. Today’s action targets a wide array of groups, including entities affiliated with HAMAS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), al-Qa’ida, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods-Force (IRGC-QF), and combined with actions taken by the State Department amounts to some of the furthest reaching designations of terrorists and their supporters in the past 15 years. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury took action to prevent U.S. remittances to Cuba from enriching Cuban regime insiders and their families and to restrict Cuba’s access to the U.S. financial system. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) to further implement President Trump’s June 2017 National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) Strengthening the Policy of the United States Towards Cuba. The changes amend certain authorizations related to the provision of remittances to Cuba and eliminate the authorization for specific financial transactions known as “U-turn” transactions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The owner of two defense contracting firms was sentenced to 36 months in prison for providing non-conforming parts for military equipment, illegally sharing sensitive technical information and evading income taxes Assistant Attorney General John Demers and U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A five-count indictment was filed yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn charging Ruslan Maratovich Asainov, 43, also known as ‘Suleiman Al-Amriki’ and ‘Suleiman Al-Kazakhi,’ with conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS; providing material support to ISIS in the form of personnel, training, expert advice and assistance and weapons; receipt of military-type training from ISIS; and obstruction of justice. If convicted, Asainov faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Asainov will be arraigned at a later date. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its branches, including the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). This includes seeking information on the IRGC’s illicit oil sales, including via oil tankers like the Adrian Darya. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States designated 16 entities and 10 individuals and identified 11 vessels that are part of a large shipping network enabling the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, to sell illicit oil for the benefit of the brutal Assad regime, Hizballah, and other terrorist actors. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against a large shipping network that is directed by and financially supports the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and its terrorist proxy Hizballah. Over the past year, the IRGC-QF has moved oil worth hundreds of millions of dollars or more through this network for the benefit of the brutal Assad regime, Hizballah, and other illicit actors. Senior IRGC-QF official and former Iranian Minister of Petroleum Rostam Qasemi oversees this sprawling network, which features dozens of ship managers, vessels, and facilitators. This complex network of intermediaries enables the IRGC-QF to obfuscate its involvement in selling Iranian oil. The IRGC-QF also relies heavily on Hizballah officials and front companies to broker associated contracts. OFAC also is issuing a new shipping advisory to the maritime community warning of these types of schemes and the sanctions risks associated with blocked persons. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing regulations to implement Executive Order 13851 of November 27, 2018 (‘Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Nicaragua’). These regulations are currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on September 4, 2019. OFAC intends to supplement this part 582 with a more comprehensive set of regulations, which may include additional interpretive and definitional guidance and additional general licenses and statements of licensing policy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State designated the Iran Space Agency and two of its research institutes under Executive Order (E.O.) 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and WMD delivery systems and their supporters – the first time the United States is publicly designating Iran’s civilian space agency. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of State designated the Iran Space Agency and two of its research institutes under Executive Order (E.O.) 13382 for engaging in proliferation-sensitive activities. This is the first time the United States is designating Iran’s civilian space agency for activities that advance its ballistic missile program. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Resit Tavan, a Turkish Businessman and owner of the Istanbul-based Turkish business Ramor Dis Ticaret Ltd. (also known as the ‘Ramor Group’) was sentenced on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, in Federal District Court in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to 27 months imprisonment in connection with his conviction for conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions by exporting specialized marine equipment from the United States to Iran between 2013 to 2015. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A criminal complaint filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charged Awais Chudhary, 19, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Pakistan, with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Chudhary was arrested yesterday, and made his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James Orenstein. Chudhary was ordered held without bail. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced North Korea-related designations of two individuals and three entities, and further identified one vessel as blocked property, continuing the implementation and enforcement of existing sanctions. This action highlights North Korea’s continued use of illicit ship-to-ship (STS) transfers to circumvent United Nations (UN) sanctions that restrict the import of petroleum products, as well as the U.S. Government’s commitment to implement existing UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs).Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned today Lebanon-based Jammal Trust Bank SAL (Jammal Trust) for supporting Hizballah’s illicit financial and banking activities. Jammal Trust has a longstanding relationship with a key Hizballah financial entity and provides financial services to the Martyrs Foundation and companies controlled by Hizballah’s Executive Council. Jammal Trust’s misconduct undermines the integrity of the Lebanese financial system. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in partnership with the Sultanate of Oman, sanctioned today four financial facilitators responsible for moving tens of millions of dollars between Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and Hamas’s Izz-Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza. OFAC designated Muhammad Sarur, Kamal Abdelrahman Aref Awad, Fawaz Mahmud Ali Nasser, and Muhammad Kamal al-Ayy under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

BATON ROUGE — A Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based physician’s assistant was sentenced to seven years in prison today for his role in a scheme to unlawfully distribute prescriptions for thousands of oxycodone pills. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin of the Middle District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s New Orleans Field Division, Special Agent in Charge C.J. Porter of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Field Office and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony T. Riedlinger of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Behzad Pourghannad pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to export carbon fiber from the United States to Iran between 2008 and 2013. “Pourghannad was in Iran while he worked to obtain carbon fiber from the United States contrary to U.S. law,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for National Security. “He may have believed he was out of U.S. law enforcement’s reach, but thanks in part to assistance from the German government, which extradited him, this case is now another example of the Department’s ability to hold Iran’s illicit procurement agents accountable, regardless of where they work.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Jammal Trust Bank SAL (Jammal Trust), a Lebanon-based financial institution that knowingly facilitates banking activities for Hizballah. Specifically, OFAC designated Jammal Trust as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, Hizballah. Jammal Trust has a longstanding relationship with a key Hizballah financial entity and provides financial services to Hizballah’s Executive Council and the Iran-based Martyrs Foundation. As part of today’s action, OFAC also designated Jammal Trust’s Lebanon-based subsidiaries Trust Insurance S.A.L., Trust Insurance Services S.A.L., and Trust Life Insurance Company S.A.L., for being owned or controlled by Jammal Trust. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in partnership with the Sultanate of Oman, designated financial facilitators responsible for moving tens of millions of dollars between Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and HAMAS’s operational arm, the Izz-Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza. OFAC designated Muhammad Sarur, Kamal Abdelrahman Aref Awad, Fawaz Mahmud Ali Nasser, and Muhammad Kamal al-Ayy for providing financial, material, technological support, financial or other services to, or in support of, HAMAS. These individuals were designated under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeted two Iranian regime-linked networks pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382 for engaging in covert procurement activities benefitting multiple Iranian military organizations. One network, led by Hamed Dehghan, has used a Hong Kong-based front company to evade U.S. and international sanctions and facilitate tens of millions of dollars’ worth of proliferation activities targeting U.S. technology and electronic components, for persons related to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian regime’s missile program. The second network, led by Seyed Hossein Shariat, has procured various aluminum alloy products on behalf of components entities owned or controlled by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury designated nine entities and individuals based in Iran and one entity based in Hong Kong for supporting Iranian proliferation-sensitive procurement efforts. The individuals and entities named are linked to organizations such as Iran’s Aviation Industries Organization, which manages Iran’s military aviation industry, Iran Electronics Industries, which is owned by Iran’s Ministry of Defense Armed Forces Logistics, and an entity that supports the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s Naval Defence Missile Industry Group. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

NEW YORK — Fabjan Alameti, a New York City resident who was arrested at a Bozeman shooting range, today pleaded guilty to charges of making false statements involving international terrorism to the FBI, announced U.S. Attorney Kurte Alme for the District of Montana. Alameti, 21, pleaded guilty to two counts of false statements to a federal officer in a matter involving international terrorism. He faces a maximum eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

MARYLAND — A federal grand jury today returned a superseding indictment charging Rondell Henry, 28, of Germantown, Maryland, with federal charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, specifically, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. ISIS is designated by the Secretary of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Henry has been detained since his arrest on April 3, 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Asia Siddiqui and Noelle Velentzas, both citizens of the United States and residents of Queens, pleaded guilty to teaching and distributing information pertaining to the making and use of an explosive, destructive device, and weapon of mass destruction, intending that it be used to commit a federal crime of violence. The guilty pleas were entered before United States District Court Judge Sterling Johnson Jr. When sentenced, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – By virtue of Presidential Determination No. 2019-21 of July 31, 2019, 84 FR 43035, Aug. 19, 2019, Brazil is a designated non-NATO ally in accordance with section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321k) and effective immediately is included within the definition of major non-NATO ally at ITAR section 120.32. DDTC will amend that section of the ITAR in the future to include specific reference to Brazil among the list of designated nations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the identification or location of key ISIS leaders Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla, Sami Jasim Muhammad al-Jaburi, and Mu‘taz Numan ‘Abd Nayif Najm al-Jaburi. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A black-market arms dealer with a long history of brokering machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank armaments – and who was found guilty last year in a scheme to sell and use surface-to-air missiles – was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in federal prison. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce identified 46 additional Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. affiliates that require inclusion on the Entity List, as part of a routine review of all Entity Listings. Since May, the Department has added over one hundred persons or organizations to the Entity List in connection to Huawei. The new restrictions on these affiliates are effective today, August 19th. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – OFAC has released a Biennial Report of Licensing Activities pursuant to Section 906(c) of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA), covering activities undertaken by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under Section 906(a)(1) of the TSRA from October 2014 through September 2016. Under the procedures established in its TSRA-related regulations, OFAC processes license applications requesting authorization to export agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Iran and Sudan under the specific licensing regime set forth in Section 906 of the TSRA. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Azizjon Rakhmatov, 32, a citizen of Uzbekistan and resident of New Haven, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Today’s plea took place before U.S. District Court Judge William F. Kuntz II. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald, Assistant Director John Brown of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division and Special Agent in Charge Jill Sanborn of the FBI Minneapolis Division today announced the guilty plea of Negar Ghodskani, 40, for her participation in a conspiracy to illegally export controlled technology from the United States to Iran. Ghodskani, who was indicted on Dec. 8, 2015, arrested in Australia in 2017, and made her first appearance in District Court on July 22, 2019, entered her guilty plea today before Judge Joan N. Ericksen in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Bilal Al-Rayanni, also known as Bilal Kassim Alawdi, 28, a Yemeni national and resident of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, was charged on August 8 in a two-count superseding indictment with providing and attempting to provide material support to Al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula, also known as Ansar al-Shari’a, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and making a false statement in a passport application. Al-Rayanni remains in custody following his arrest and detention on the passport offense on June 27, 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — The operator of a network of businesses in Lebanon and Africa whom the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated as a financier of Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based terrorist group, was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to forfeit $50 million by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton of the District of Columbia. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, in order to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692 of March 8, 20i5 (Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela), as amended, as relied upon for -additional steps taken in subsequent Executive Orders, and in light of the continued usurpation of power by Nicolas Maduro and persons affiliated with him, as well as human rights abuses, including arbitrary or unlawful arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens, interference with freedom of expression, including for members of the media, and ongoing attempts to undermine Interim President Juan Guaido and the Venezuelan National Assembly’s exercise of legitimate authority in Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is amending the Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations, changing the heading of the Iranian Human Rights Sanctions Regulations to the Iranian Sector and Human Rights Abuses Sanctions Regulations, and amending the renamed Iranian Sector and Human Rights Abuses Sanctions Regulations to implement Executive Order 13871, “Imposing Sanctions with Respect to the Iron, Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Sectors of Iran.” In connection with the issuance of these regulations, OFAC is amending several FAQs and publishing several new FAQs. These regulatory amendments are currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on August 7, 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Cesar Altieri Sayoc was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison in connection with his mailing of 16 improvised explosive devices to victims across the country. SAYOC pled guilty to a 65-count Superseding Information on March 21, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who also imposed today’s sentence. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $1,709,325 settlement with PACCAR Inc (‘PACCAR’). PACCAR, a company headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, has agreed to settle its potential civil liability for 63 apparent violations of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 560 (ITSR) by DAF Trucks N.V. (‘DAF’), a wholly owned subsidiary of PACCAR, headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Specifically, between the approximate dates of October 2013 and February 2015, DAF sold or supplied 63 trucks to customers in Europe that it knew or had reason to know were ultimately intended for buyers in Iran. These transactions appear to have violated § 560.215 of the ITSR. OFAC determined that PACCAR voluntarily disclosed the apparent violations, and that the apparent violations constitute a non-egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued guidance highlighting the United States’ commitment to the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid to the Venezuelan people. OFAC maintains several authorizations that permit humanitarian-related transactions, enabling continued support to the people of Venezuela and ensuring that legitimate humanitarian activity is not the target of U.S. sanctions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced today that it is implementing two sanctions on the Russian Federation as part of measures imposed by the U.S. government pursuant to the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, as amended (‘CBW Act’), in response to Russia’s use of the ‘Novichok’ nerve agent in Salisbury, United Kingdom (UK) in March 2018. This action follows the Department of State’s determination that the Government of the Russian Federation failed to comply with the conditions described in the CBW Act. Treasury is imposing a prohibition related to certain U.S. bank loans and will oppose multilateral development bank assistance to the Russian Federation. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury in Dallas has indicted a U.S. citizen for traveling to Syria and conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today against the Iranian regime’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif (Javad Zarif), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13876 because Zarif acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. On June 24, 2019, the President issued E.O. 13876 imposing sanctions on the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Supreme Leader’s Office (SLO), and authorizing sanctions on others associated with the Supreme Leader or the SLO. Concurrently, Treasury added the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Husseini Khamenei, to OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List) under this new authority. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — John Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Michael Bailey, the United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, Michael McGarrity, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, and Sean Kaul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office, announced that on July 26, Ahmed Mahad Mohamed and Abdi Yemani Hussein, were arrested for conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated a North Korean individual operating from Vietnam, Kim Su Il, for his ties to the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK). Kim Su Il is also an employee of the Munitions Industry Department (MID); a WPK subordinate that is United Nations (UN)- and U.S.-designated for its involvement in key aspects of North Korea’s missile program, which is subject to a range of U.S. sanctions restrictions. This action reflects continued enforcement of UN and U.S. sanctions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The State Department has updated the Cuba Restricted List to add four sub-entities owned by the Cuban military. The changes take effect today, July 26, as Cuba celebrates more than 60 years since the start of the Cuban Revolution. Sixty years after Castro promised to improve the lives of the Cuban people, the revolution continues to fail its people by squandering Cuba’s economic potential through mismanagement and oppressing brave Cubans that continue the fight for freedom. The Department remains committed to ensuring U.S. funds do not directly support Cuba’s state security apparatus, which not only violates the human rights of the Cuban people, but also exports this repression to Venezuela to support the corrupt Maduro regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – As part of an ongoing effort to better organize the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) seeks public comment on consolidating and clarifying the various exemptions located throughout the regulations. DDTC does not seek input on whether individual exemptions in the ITAR should be expanded or eliminated, but rather requests comments regarding: Which exemptions, if any, are redundant or could be consolidated; and which exemptions, if any, contain language that introduces significant ambiguity or hinders the exemption’s intended use. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael McGarrity, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (NYPD), announced that Delowar Mohammed Hossain was arrested today at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport) in Queens, New York. Hossain was charged in a criminal Complaint today with attempting to provide material support for acts of terrorism, specifically in support of killing U.S. nationals located overseas. Hossain was presented today before Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron in Manhattan federal court. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and in view of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2374 of September 5, 2017, and UNSCR 2432 of August 30, 2018, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the situation in Mali, including repeated violations of ceasefire arrangements made pursuant to the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali; the expansion of terrorist activities into southern and central Mali; the intensification of drug trafficking and trafficking in persons, human rights abuses, and hostage-taking; and the intensification of attacks against civilians, the Malian defense and security forces, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilizations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and international security presences, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Colombian national Alex Nain Saab Moran (Saab), a profiteer orchestrating a vast corruption network that has enabled former President Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) and his regime to significantly profit from food imports and distribution in Venezuela. Saab has personally profited from overvalued contracts, including the Government’s food subsidy program titled the Local Committees for Supply and Production, or Los Comités Locales de Abastecimiento y Producción, commonly known as CLAP. Through a sophisticated network of shell companies, business partners, and family members, Saab laundered hundreds of millions of dollars in corruption proceeds around the world. Also targeted today are Maduro’s three stepsons, Walter, Yosser, and Yoswal, to whom Saab funneled money in exchange for access to contracts with the Government of Venezuela, including its food subsidy program. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury has charged four Chinese nationals and a Chinese company with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), conspiracy to violate IEEPA and defraud the United States; conspiracy to violate, evade and avoid restrictions imposed under the Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators Sanctions Regulations (WMDPSR); and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing this Advisory to highlight for the civil aviation industry, including parties providing services to the industry, Iran’s deceptive practices with respect to aviation matters. Industry parties who engage in or support unauthorized transfers of U.S.-origin aircraft or related goods, technology, or services to Iran, or who conduct business with designated Iranian airlines, risk OFAC enforcement or sanctions actions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued an Iran-related Advisory to inform the civil aviation industry of potential exposure to U.S. Government enforcement actions and economic sanctions for engaging in or supporting unauthorized transfers of aircraft or related goods, technology, or services to Iran or to designated Iranian airlines. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States is taking further action as part of our maximum economic pressure campaign against the Iranian regime by imposing sanctions on the Chinese firm Zhuhai Zhenrong Company Limited and its chief executive for knowingly purchasing or acquiring oil from Iran, contrary to U.S. sanctions. We said we would fully enforce our sanctions, and we are backing this up with real action. The announcement today will help deny the regime critical income to fund terror around the world, engage in foreign conflicts, and advance its ballistic missile development. The Iranian regime must cease these destabilizing activities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is amending the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations (GTSR); Transnational Criminal Organizations Sanctions Regulations (TCOSR); and Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations (HFSR), 31 CFR parts 566, 590 and 594. This final rule implements and references recent legislation and a new Executive Order. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program is offering a reward of up to $7 million for information leading to the identification or location of Salman Raouf Salman, also known as Samuel Salman El Reda, a key leader of Hizballah. Salman is most well-known for his prominent role in the July 18, 1994, bombing of the Argentine Jewish Mutual Aid Society (AMIA), a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which resulted in the deaths of 85 innocent civilians. Salman is a leader of Hizballah’s External Security Organization (ESO), which is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing Hizballah terrorist attacks around the globe. Not only does he direct and support Hizballah terrorist activities in the Western Hemisphere, he has been involved in plots worldwide. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in the Eastern District of New York charging Ruslan Maratovich Asainov, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Kazakhstan with providing and attempting to provide material support, including training, services and personnel, to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B. Asainov was detained overseas by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and recently transferred into FBI custody. Asainov’s initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven M. Gold at the United States Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Mahin Mojtahedzadeh (Mahin), age 74, a citizen of Iran, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to unlawfully export gas turbine parts from the United States to Iran. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated a senior member of Hizballah’s External Security Organization (ESO), which is responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of terrorist attacks outside of Lebanon. Specifically, OFAC designated Salman Raouf Salman for acting for or on behalf of Hizballah. Salman was designated under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four officials of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM). The DGCIM, including these officials, has been accused of systemic human rights abuses and repressing dissent and was sanctioned on July 11, 2019 pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended. This action follows the arrest, physical abuse, and death of Venezuelan Navy Captain Rafael Acosta Arévalo. The four DGCIM officials targeted include: Division General Rafael Ramón Blanco Marrero, Colonel Hannover Esteban Guerrero Mijares, Major Alexander Enrique Granko Arteaga, and Colonel Rafael Antonio Franco Quintero. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two militia figures, Rayan al-Kildani and Waad Qado, and two former Iraqi governors, Nawfal Hammadi al-Sultan and Ahmed al-Jubouri, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against a network of front companies and agents involved in the procurement of sensitive materials for sanctioned elements of Iran’s nuclear program. The individuals and entities targeted today are based in Iran, China, and Belgium and have acted as a procurement network for Iran’s Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA), which plays a crucial role in Iran’s uranium enrichment nuclear program through the production of centrifuges used in facilities belonging to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). Treasury sanctioned TESA on November 21, 2011 pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382, which provides the authority to impose sanctions on proliferators of weapons of mass destruction. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States designated 12 entities and individuals based in Iran, Belgium, and China that are linked to the nuclear proliferation-sensitive activities of the Iran Centrifuge Technology Company – known by its Persian acronym, TESA. The designations announced today under Executive Order 13382 target proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or WMD delivery systems and their associates. In addition to a freeze on any of their assets within the United States, the sanctioned persons and entities will be denied access to the U.S. financial system and listed online as WMD proliferators. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of State (DOS), in concert with the U.S. Department of Treasury, took action today targeting Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a West-African terrorist group designated as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in September 2018. Specifically, DOS designated Ali Maychou, who holds a leadership role in JNIM, as a SDGT pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a serious risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. As a result of this action, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Maychou has any interest is blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with Maychou. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in concert with the Department of State, took action today targeting Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a west African terrorist group designated in September 2018, by designating a JNIM leader as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Specifically, OFAC designated Bah Ag Moussa for acting for or on behalf of JNIM. OFAC also designated Bah Ag Moussa for acting for or on behalf of JNIM leader, Iyad ag Ghali, who was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 in February 2013. The Department of State today also designated Ali Maychou as an SDGT pursuant to E.O. 13224. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated the Government of Venezuela’s General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence, or La Dirección General de Contrainteligencia Militar, most commonly known as the DGCIM. This action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended, targets the DGCIM for operating in Venezuela’s defense and security sector. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States designated three senior Hizballah political and security officials today who leverage their positions to facilitate Hizballah and the Iranian regime’s malign efforts to undermine Lebanese sovereignty. These officials have exploited their positions to smuggle illicit goods into Lebanon, pressure Lebanese financial institutions to assist Hizballah, undermine Lebanese institutions, and evade U.S. sanctions against Hizballah facilitators and financiers. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated key Hizballah political and security figures leveraging their privileged positions to facilitate Hizballah’s malign agenda and do Iran’s bidding. Specifically, OFAC designated Hizballah Members of Parliament Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan Ra’d, and Hizballah security official Wafiq Safa, for acting for or on behalf of Hizballah. These individuals were designated under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON – A 20-year-old U.S. citizen from Houston, Texas, has entered a guilty plea to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States removed sanctions on oil shipping company PB Tankers in response to actions it has taken to ensure that its vessels no longer were complicit in supporting the former Maduro regime. Additionally, the United States designated Cubametales, the Cuban state-run company and primary facilitator of oil imports from Venezuela, for circumventing U.S. sanctions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Cubametales, the Cuban state-run oil import and export company, for its continued importation of oil from Venezuela. Cuba, in exchange for this oil, continues to provide support, including defense, intelligence, and security assistance, to the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas Maduro. Today’s action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended, targets the company for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Hizballah operative Husain Ali Hazzima as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. Additionally, the Department of State has amended the terrorist designations of Jundallah to reflect the group’s new primary name Jaysh al-Adl and associated aliases. These aliases have been added to the group’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), and as an SDGT under E.O. 13224. The Department has also reviewed and maintained the FTO designation of Jundallah. Today’s actions seek to deny Hazzima, BLA, and Jaysh al-Adl the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks. All of their property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States commends the Government of Italy for the repatriation of an Italian foreign terrorist fighter from Syria. Italy is a key partner in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and we appreciate its commitment to countering terrorism. With this repatriation, Italy has provided an important example to all members of the Global Coalition and the international community on how we need to work together to address the issue of foreign terrorist fighters who have traveled to fight for ISIS. It is our hope that other Western European countries will follow Italy’s example and take responsibility for their citizens in Syria. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States imposed sanctions against Nicolas Maduro’s son, Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra (Maduro Guerra), for his role as an official in the illegitimate Maduro regime pursuant to E.O. 13692. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated the son of Venezuela’s illegitimate regime leader Nicolas Maduro Moros, who was previously sanctioned on July 31, 2017. This action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, targets Nicolas “Nicolasito” Ernesto Maduro Guerra (Maduro Guerra) for being a current or former official of the Government of Venezuela. Maduro Guerra is a member of Venezuela’s illegitimate National Constituent Assembly, also known as the Asamblea Nacional Constituyente or ANC. Shortly after Maduro became President, he appointed his son to lead the newly created Corps of Inspectors of the Presidency, and in 2017, Maduro Guerra was elected as a member of the National Constituent Assembly, following the fraudulent creation of the Assembly, which served only to commandeer the constitutional powers of the legitimate National Assembly and further entrench his father’s regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States sanctioned Maduro-aligned Luis Alfredo Motta Dominguez and Eustiquio Jose Lugo Gomez for being current or former officials in the Maduro regime. These individuals have been involved in rampant corruption, as determined by a Department of Justice investigation. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two Maduro regime officials who continue to engage in significant corruption and fraud to the detriment of the people of Venezuela. Persistent countrywide blackouts are the latest and worst in a long history of electricity outages, stemming from years of massive corruption, neglect, and mismanagement of Venezuela’s electricity infrastructure by the illegitimate Maduro regime. The lack of electricity limits the Venezuelan people’s access to basic goods, services, and potable water supplies, and exacerbates the already precarious health care system, in which the majority of hospitals already lack reliable water and power and are experiencing shortages of medicine and medical supplies. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – We, the Political Directors of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS Small Group, met today in Paris at the invitation of French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves le Drian to reaffirm our determination to continue the fight against Daesh/ISIS in the post-liberation era and to create conditions for an enduring victory against the terrorist group through a durable, multifaceted effort. Building both on the Coalition’s Guiding Principles adopted in Kuwait City in February 2018, and on the statement released by the Ministers of the Coalition in February 2019, we offer these guidelines as our vision for future Coalition engagement following Daesh/ISIS’s territorial defeat in Syria and Iraq. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today against eight senior commanders of Navy, Aerospace, and Ground Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). These commanders sit atop a bureaucracy that supervises the IRGC’s malicious regional activities, including its provocative ballistic missile program, harassment and sabotage of commercial vessels in international waters, and its destabilizing presence in Syria. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the White House issued an Executive Order sanctioning the Supreme Leader’s Office and authorizing further sanctions on those associated with it. This action was taken as part of the Administration’s maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian regime, which has engaged in 40 years of terror and aggression against the United States and our allies. Most recently, it targeted a U.S. unmanned aircraft and executed attacks on international shipping. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the White House issued an Executive Order sanctioning the Supreme Leaders Office and authorizing further sanctions on those associated with it. This action was taken as part of the Administrations maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian regime, which has engaged in 40 years of terror and aggression against the United States and our allies. Most recently, it targeted a U.S. unmanned aircraft and executed attacks on international shipping. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Two men from a north suburb of Chicago have been convicted of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham, a foreign terrorist organization also known as ISIS. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch Jr. and Special Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey S. Sallet of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) responded to Iran’s willful failure to address its systemic money laundering and terrorist financing deficiencies by requiring increased supervision of Iran-based financial institutions. The Islamic Republic of Iran regularly seeks to use deception and subterfuge to fund its illicit activities, threatening the integrity and security of the international financial system. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States further affirms its commitment to use all economic and diplomatic tools to promote accountability for the Ortega regime and to support the Nicaraguan people through the announcement of new targeted sanctions actions against regime figures. Canada’s sanctions actions today illustrate the international commitment to Nicaraguans’ cause, signaling clearly that President Ortega’s insufficient and self-serving measures are not nearly enough to address Nicaraguans’ demands for democracy, basic rights, and freedom from repression. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four Nicaraguan government officials, Gustavo Eduardo Porras Cortes, Orlando Jose Castillo Castillo, Sonia Castro Gonzalez, and Oscar Salvador Mojica Obregon, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13851. Additionally, Sonia Castro Gonzalez and Gustavo Eduardo Porras Cortes have been designated pursuant to the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018 (NHRAA). Today’s action targets Nicaraguan government officials who persecute Nicaraguan citizens exercising their fundamental freedoms, enact repressive laws, silence news media, and deny medical care to the Nicaraguan people. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced the designation of a Russian entity that has assisted North Korea in evading sanctions to access the international financial system. Today’s action targets Russian-registered Russian Financial Society pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382 for having provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, technological, or other support for, or goods or services in support of, U.S.-designated Dandong Zhongsheng Industry & Trade Co. Ltd (Dandong Zhongsheng), an entity that is owned and controlled by, directly or indirectly, U.S.- and United Nations (UN)-designated Foreign Trade Bank (FTB), North Korea’s primary foreign exchange bank. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Mustafa al-Imam, a Libyan national approximately 48 years old, was found guilty of terrorism charges for his participation in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. Special Mission and Annex in Benghazi, Libya. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty died in the attack at the Mission and the nearby Annex in Benghazi. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $325,406 settlement with Expedia Group, Inc. (“Expedia”). Expedia, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, on behalf of itself and its subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide, has agreed to pay $325,406 to settle its potential civil liability for providing Cuba-related travel services in apparent violation of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 515 (CACR). Specifically, between on or about April 22, 2011 and on or about October 16, 2014, Expedia dealt in property or interests in property of Cuba or Cuban nationals by assisting 2,221 persons — some of whom were Cuban nationals — with travel or travel-related services for travel within Cuba or between Cuba and locations outside the United States. These transactions appear to have violated § 515.201(b) of the CACR. OFAC determined that the apparent violations were voluntarily self-disclosed to OFAC and occurred prior to agency notice. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, the State Department’s Coordinator for Counterterrorism, will travel to Ankara, Turkey during the week of June 10th. He will engage in discussions with his Turkish counterparts on the repatriation and prosecution of foreign terrorist fighters, border security and curtailing terrorist travel, countering the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), combating terrorist finance, and global efforts to defeat al-Qa’ida and ISIS. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on an Iraq-based Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) financial conduit, South Wealth Resources Company (SWRC), which has trafficked hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of weapons to IRGC-QF-backed Iraqi militias. SWRC and its two Iraqi associates, who are also being designated today, have covertly facilitated the IRGC-QF’s access to the Iraqi financial system to evade sanctions. This scheme also served to enrich previously sanctioned Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi advisor to IRGC-QF Commander Qasem Soleimani, who has run weapons smuggling networks and participated in bombings of Western embassies and attempted assassinations in the region. SWRC and its two associates are being designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States and the Government of Argentina convened a workshop on countering Hizballah’s terrorist and illicit activities in the Western Hemisphere on June 11-12 in Buenos Aires. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and financial practitioners attended from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru, as did representatives from Ameripol. The workshop was held in advance of the upcoming Western Hemisphere Ministerial that the Government of Argentina will host July 19 in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Hizballah attack on the Mutual Israelite Association of Argentina (known by its Spanish acronym AMIA) community center in Buenos Aires. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Zakaryia Abdin, 20, of Ladson, South Carolina, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Abdin previously entered a guilty plea in August of 2018 and has remained in federal custody since his arrest by the FBI in March of 2017. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating 16 individuals and entities associated with an international network benefiting the Assad regime. These designations serve to cut off critical supplies and financiers for the regime’s luxury reconstruction and investment efforts. This action reinforces the United States’ commitment to imposing a financial toll on those supporting Assad’s authoritarian rule, including Syrian oligarch Samer Foz. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea L. Thompson will travel to Prague from June 10-12 to address the fifth Prague Security Studies Institute Space Security Conference and to meet with key international officials. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today against Iran’s largest and most profitable petrochemical holding group, Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (PGPIC), for providing financial support to Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters (Khatam al-Anbiya), the engineering conglomerate of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In addition to PGPIC, OFAC is designating PGPIC’s vast network of 39 subsidiary petrochemical companies and foreign-based sales agents. PGPIC and its group of subsidiary petrochemical companies hold 40 percent of Iran’s total petrochemical production capacity and are responsible for 50 percent of Iran’s total petrochemical exports. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $401,697 settlement with Western Union Financial Services, Inc. (‘Western Union’), of Denver, Colorado. Western Union has agreed to settle its potential civil liability for 4,977 apparent violations of the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 594 (GTSR). Between December 9, 2010, and March 13, 2015, Western Union processed 4,977 transactions totaling approximately $1.275 million, which were paid out to third-party, non-designated beneficiaries who chose to collect their remittances at a Western Union Sub-Agent in The Gambia, Kairaba Shopping Center (KSC), an entity that was designated by OFAC pursuant to the GTSR on December 9, 2010. OFAC determined that Western Union voluntarily self-disclosed the apparent violations and that the apparent violations constitute a non-egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States expanded our campaign to impose maximum economic pressure on the Iranian regime. The U.S. Treasury designated Iran’s largest petrochemical holding group, Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (PGPIC), for providing support to Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters, the UN-designated engineering conglomerate of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The United States also designated PGPIC’s network of 39 subsidiary petrochemical companies and sales agents. This action will deprive the IRGC of critical revenue. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – On June 6, 2019, the U.S. Department of State published a Federal Register notice of 23 individuals and entities statutorily debarred for having been convicted of violating, or conspiring to violate, the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751, et seq.). This action, as required by section 127.7(b) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR parts 120-130), highlights the Department’s responsibility to protect U.S. defense articles, including technical data and defense services from unauthorized exports and brokering. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – Notice is hereby given that the Department of State has imposed statutory debarment under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (‘ITAR’) on persons convicted of violating, or conspiracy to violate, Section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Peyman Amiri Larijani, 33, a citizen of Iran and former resident of Istanbul, Turkey, was charged in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in two separate indictments. The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia and Assistant Secretary Nazak Nikakhtar of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) unveiled amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) to further implement the President’s foreign policy on Cuba. These amendments complement changes to the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Export Administration Regulations (EAR), which Commerce is also unveiling today. These regulatory changes were announced on April 17, 2019 and include restrictions on non-family travel to Cuba. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Twenty-seventh Annual Report to the Congress on Assets in the United States Relating to Terrorist Countries and Organizations Engaged in International Terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a Finding of Violation to State Street Bank and Trust Co. (SSBT) for violations of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 560 (ITSR). Specifically, between January 1, 2012 and September 1, 2015, SSBT acted as trustee for a customer’s employee retirement plan. In this capacity, SSBT processed at least 45 pension payments totaling $11,365.44 to a plan participant who was a U.S. citizen with a U.S. bank account, but who was resident in Iran. This matter was voluntarily self-disclosed to OFAC. There is no monetary penalty associated with a Finding of Violation. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, I made a determination pursuant to section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act and directed the Department to complete immediately the formal notification of 22 pending arms transfers to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia totaling approximately $8.1 billion to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity. These sales will support our allies, enhance Middle East stability, and help these nations to deter and defend themselves from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified the Argentina-based Goldpharma Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Organization (Goldpharma DTO/MLO) as a significant foreign narcotics trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). OFAC also designated eight Argentine nationals for their role in the Goldpharma DTO/MLO, as well as nine entities located in Argentina, Colombia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for attempting to provide material support to Hamas, lying on his application to enlist in the U.S. Army, and making threats against pro-Israel supporters. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey, FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Michael McGarrity and Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie of the FBI’s Newark Field office made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – In July the Secretary of State submitted to the President the Implementation Plan requested as part of the Conventional Arms Transfer (CAT) Policy (NSPM-10). This plan supports the U.S. National Security Strategy through a whole-of-government approach to better align our conventional arms transfers with our national security and economic interests. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated a Mexican magistrate judge and a former Mexican governor due to their involvement in corruption activities. OFAC designated Mexican magistrate judge Isidro Avelar Gutierrez pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) because of his actions on behalf of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) and the Los Cuinis Drug Trafficking Organization (Los Cuinis), two closely allied narcotics trafficking organizations designated pursuant to the Kingpin Act in 2015. Avelar Gutierrez received bribes from these narcotics trafficking organizations in exchange for providing favorable judicial rulings to their senior members. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated five individuals and one entity pursuant to the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (the Magnitsky Act). In addition, the U.S. Department of State issued its annual submission to Congress on the U.S. Government’s actions to implement the Magnitsky Act. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States welcomes yesterday’s action by the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 ISIL and al-Qa’ida Sanctions Committee to designate ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), an ISIS affiliate that has carried out terrorist attacks primarily in Afghanistan. The United States previously designated ISIS-K as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224 in September 2015, and as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act in January 2016. ISIS-K is the first ISIS affiliate to be designated by the UN. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin, in consultation with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, and pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended, determined that persons operating in the defense and security sector of the Venezuelan economy may be subject to sanctions. In addition, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two companies that operate in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy, pursuant to E.O. 13850, as amended. OFAC has also identified two vessels, which transported oil from Venezuela to Cuba, as blocked property owned by the two companies. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman for the Southern District of New York, Assistant Director John Brown of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division and Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office announced today the filing of a civil forfeiture complaint against M/V Wise Honest (the “Wise Honest”), a 17,061-ton, single-hull bulk carrier ship registered in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK” or “North Korea”). The Wise Honest, one of North Korea’s largest bulk carriers, was used to illicitly ship coal from North Korea and to deliver heavy machinery to the DPRK. Payments for maintenance, equipment, and improvements of the Wise Honest were made in U.S. dollars through unwitting U.S. banks. This conduct violates longstanding U.S. law and United Nations Security Council resolutions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A Fort Worth man today pleaded guilty to a federal terrorism charge, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox for the Northern District of Texas. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the President issued a new Executive Order (E.O.), “Imposing Sanctions with Respect to the Iron, Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Sectors of Iran”. In connection with the issuance of this E.O., the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing related new FAQs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) removed sanctions imposed on Manuel Ricardo Cristopher Figuera (Cristopher), who last week broke ranks with the Maduro regime and rallied to the support of the Venezuelan constitution and the National Assembly. Cristopher is the former Director General of Venezuela’s National Intelligence Service, more commonly known as SEBIN. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A federal jury convicted a Dallas, Texas man on multiple terror charges, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox for the Northern District of Texas announced today. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States welcomes the addition of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) leader Masood Azhar to the United Nations’ (UN) 1267 ISIL and al-Qaida Sanctions List. JEM has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks and is a serious threat to regional stability and peace in South Asia. JEM was designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2001 and has been listed by the UN since 2001. The United States also designated Azhar as an SDGT in 2010. As JEM’s founder and leader, Azhar clearly met the criteria for designation by the UN. This listing requires all UN member states to implement an asset freeze, a travel ban, and an arms embargo against Azhar. We expect all countries to uphold these obligations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Mark Steven Domingo, 26, of Reseda, California, was arrested Friday night after he received what he thought was a live bomb, but in fact was an inert explosive device that was delivered by an undercover law enforcement officer as part of an investigation by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States sanctioned two officials aligned with the former Maduro regime pursuant to Executive Order 13962, which allows for the designation of any person determined to be a current or former official of the Government of Venezuela. Jorge Alberto Arreaza Montserrat was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Carol Bealexis Padilla de Arretureta is a judge associated with the March 21 detainment of Interim President Juan Guaido’s Chief of Staff Roberto Marrero. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing regulations to implement Executive Order 13848 of September 12, 2018 (‘Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election’). These regulations are currently available for public inspection with the Federal Register and will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register on April 29, 2019. OFAC intends to supplement this part 579 with a more comprehensive set of regulations, which may include additional interpretive and definitional guidance and additional general licenses and statements of licensing policy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated, pursuant to E.O. 13692, as amended, Jorge Alberto Arreaza Montserrat, the Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Carol Bealexis Padilla de Arretureta, both of whom were determined to be current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Haverly Systems, Inc. (‘Haverly’), a New Jersey corporation with offices in Texas and California, has agreed to pay $75,375 to settle its potential civil liability for two apparent violations of the Ukraine Related Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 589 (URSR). Specifically, from on or about May 31, 2016 to on or about January 11, 2017, Haverly apparently violated Directive 2 under Executive Order 13662, ‘Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine’ (‘Directive 2’), and § 589.201 of the URSR, when it transacted or otherwise dealt in new debt of greater than 90 days maturity of JSC Rosneft (‘Rosneft’), an entity identified by OFAC on the Sectoral Sanctions Identification List as subject to Directive 2. OFAC determined that Haverly did not voluntary self-disclose the apparent violations to OFAC, and the apparent violations constitute a non-egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) further targeted the global business operations of Hizballah by designating two individuals and three entities acting as conduits for sanctions evasion schemes. Specifically, OFAC designated Belgium-based Wael Bazzi for acting for or on behalf of his father and Hizballah financier, Mohammad Bazzi. OFAC designated Belgium-based Voltra Transcor Energy BVBA, Belgium-based OFFISCOOP NV, and United Kingdom-based BSQRD Limited for being owned or controlled by Wael Bazzi. OFAC is also adding Energy Engineers Procurement and Construction as an alias for Global Trading Group NV (GTG), one of Mohammad Bazzi’s companies, which was designated in May 2018. Additionally, OFAC designated Lebanon-based Hassan Tabaja for acting for or on behalf of his brother and Hizballah member and financier, Adham Tabaja. These individuals and entities were designated under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – The Department of State is amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to revise the licensing exemption for transfers made by or for an agency of the U.S. Government. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Amor M. Ftouhi, 51, of Quebec, Canada, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Leitman to life in prison for committing an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries and two other offenses in conjunction with his attack on a Bishop Airport police officer on June 21, 2017. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider for the Eastern District of Michigan and Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States has taken further action to halt the former Maduro regime’s theft of Venezuela’s assets and destruction of the economy. The United States has sanctioned the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) for operating in the financial sector of the Venezuelan economy, pursuant to Executive Order 13850. Additionally, Iliana Josefa Ruzza Teran, a director of BCV, has been designated pursuant to Executive Order 13692. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States has affirmed its commitment to use all economic and diplomatic tools to promote accountability for the Ortega regime and to support the Nicaraguan people in their quest for freedom. The United States has sanctioned Laureano Ortega and Banco Corporativo SA (Bancorp), pursuant to Executive Order 13851, which President Trump signed November 27, 2018. Because of this action, their U.S. assets are frozen and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from transactions with Laureano Ortega and Bancorp. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Laureano Ortega Murillo, the son of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, as well as Nicaraguan bank Banco Corporativo SA (BanCorp). Today’s action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13851, targets corrupt financial operations and Ortega regime support networks. The individual and entity designated today support a regime that, since April 2018, has cracked down on political opposition, leading to the death of 325 persons, the injury of more than 2,000, the imprisonment of hundreds of political and civil society actors, and over 42,000 Nicaraguans seeking refuge in Costa Rica. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Banco Central de Venezuela, or the Central Bank of Venezuela, pursuant to E.O. 13850, as amended, for operating in the financial sector of the Venezuelan economy. Additionally, OFAC designated Iliana Josefa Ruzza Terán (Ruzza), pursuant to E.O. 13692, as amended, who is determined to be a current or former official of the Government of Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated seven individuals and one entity pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Specifically, OFAC designated key financial facilitators and conduits for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) operating in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Six individuals, located in Iraq, Turkey, and Belgium, and the entity, an Iraq, Turkey, and Syria-based money services business (MSB), are part of the Rawi Network, a key ISIS financial facilitation group based out of Iraq, which was the target of a joint Treasury-Department of Defense (DOD) action in October 2018. In that action, OFAC designated Iraq-based MSB Afaq Dubai, and the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) released details regarding its support to a joint Iraqi Special Operations Forces and Kurdish Counter Terrorism Forces action against members of the Rawi Network who leveraged Afaq Dubai to facilitate the movement of funds for ISIS. The seventh individual designated today is a Kenya-based female financial facilitator who has played an important role in an ISIS facilitation network in East Africa. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — UniCredit Bank AG (UCB AG), a financial institution headquartered in Munich, operating under the name HypoVereinsbank, and part of the UniCredit Group has agreed to enter a guilty plea to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to defraud the United States by processing hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions through the U.S. financial system on behalf of an entity designated as a weapons of mass destruction proliferator and other Iranian entities subject to U.S. economic sanctions. UniCredit Bank Austria (BA), another financial institution in the UniCredit Group, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, agreed to forfeit $20 million and entered into a non-prosecution agreement to resolve an investigation into its violations of IEEPA. UniCredit SpA, the parent of both UCB AG and BA, has agreed to ensure that UCB AG and BA’s obligations are fulfilled. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – As part of a combined $1.3 billion settlement with federal and state government partners, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced three separate agreements totaling $611 million with the following UniCredit Group banks: UniCredit Bank AG in Germany, UniCredit Bank Austria AG in Austria, and UniCredit S.p.A. in Italy. The settlements resolve OFAC’s investigations into apparent violations of a number of U.S. sanctions programs, including those related to weapons of mass destruction proliferation. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four companies that operate in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy, pursuant to E.O. 13850, as amended. Additionally, OFAC identified nine vessels, some of which transported oil from Venezuela to Cuba, as blocked property owned by the four companies. The United States is continuing to take strong action against the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas Maduro, to include those that prop up Maduro’s regime and contribute to Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Lebanese national Kassem Chams and designated the Chams Money Laundering Organization as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNT) pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). OFAC also designated Chams Exchange, a money service business located in Chtaura, Lebanon. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced a $227,500 settlement with Acteon Group Ltd. (‘Acteon’), and Acteon’s subsidiary 2H Offshore Engineering Ltd. (‘2H Offshore’) that has two Malaysian affiliates: 2H Offshore Engineering Sdn Bhd and 2H Offshore Engineering (Asia Pacific) Sdn Bhd (collectively ‘2H KL’). Acteon, a subsea service provider in the oil and gas industry based in the United Kingdom (UK), and 2H Offshore, an engineering contractor based in the UK that specializes in services used in offshore oil and gas drilling production, have agreed to settle their potential civil liability for seven apparent violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 515 (CACR). Specifically, between on or about May 18, 2011 and on or about October 18, 2012, 2H KL performed engineering design analyses for oil well drilling projects in Cuban territorial waters, and sent its engineers to Cuba to conduct workshops on these analyses. OFAC determined that 2H Offshore voluntarily self-disclosed the apparent violations, and that these apparent violations constitute an egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A 28-year old man who last resided in Dearborn, Michigan and who was previously indicted in July, 2018, with providing and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, was today charged with additional offenses of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, possessing and discharging a machine gun in furtherance of a crime of violence, and receiving military-type training from ISIS. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, United States Attorney Matthew J. Schneider and Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $639,023,750 settlement with Standard Chartered Bank (“SCB” or the “Bank”), a financial institution headquartered in the United Kingdom. The bank has agreed to settle its potential civil liability for apparent violations of the now-repealed Burmese Sanctions Regulations (BSR); the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515 (CACR); the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 560 (ITSR); the now-repealed Sudanese Sanctions Regulations; and the Syrian Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 542 (SySR), or Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011, “Blocking Property of the Government of Syria and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to Syria” (E.O. 13582). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), a global financial institution headquartered in London, England, has agreed to forfeiture of $240 million, a fine of $480 million, and to the amendment and extension of its deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Justice Department for an additional two years for conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This criminal conspiracy, lasting from 2007 through 2011, resulted in SCB processing approximately 9,500 financial transactions worth approximately $240 million through U.S. financial institutions for the benefit of Iranian entities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – As part of a combined $1.1 billion settlement with federal, state, local, and United Kingdom government partners, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $639 million agreement with Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) to settle its potential civil liability for apparent violations of U.S. economic sanctions. Today’s settlement resolves OFAC’s investigation into apparent violations of a number of U.S sanctions programs, including those relating to Burma, Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria. OFAC is also settling a separate case involving apparent violations by SCB of sanctions related to Zimbabwe. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The State Department intends to designate as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in its entirety, including the Qods Force. This is a historic step to counter Iran-backed terrorism around the world. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Secretary of State announced his intent to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including its Qods Force, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This designation is a historic step to counter Iran-backed terrorism around the world. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Today, the Secretary of State announced that he intends to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. After the FTO designation takes effect, any person will be prohibited from knowingly providing material support or resources, as defined under the law, or attempting or conspiring to do so, to the IRGC. The IRGC’s active support for terrorism is unacceptable, and the Department of Justice continues to support the administration’s efforts to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its actions. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The State Department intends to designate as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in its entirety, including the Qods Force. This is a historic step to counter Iran-backed terrorism around the world. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two companies operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy, pursuant to E.O. 13850, as amended. Additionally, OFAC identified one vessel, which transported oil from Venezuela to Cuba, as blocked property that is owned by one of these companies. Separately, OFAC is also identifying 34 vessels as blocked property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), which was designated on January 28, 2019, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. The United States continues to take strong action against the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas Maduro, not only to isolate corrupt Venezuelan enterprises, but also to target Maduro’s supporters in Havana who continue to enable the oppression of the people of Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, 44, of St. Louis County, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and one count of providing material support to terrorists. Hodzic appeared today before Judge Catherine D. Perry who accepted his plea and set his sentencing for June 18, 2019. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey B. Jensen for the Eastern District of Missouri and Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI’s St. Louis Division made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, traveled to Brasilia and Sao Paulo April 1-2 to bolster our bilateral counterterrorism cooperation with Brazil against threats from transnational terrorist groups in the Western Hemisphere, including ISIS, al-Qa’ida, and Hizballah. Ambassador Sales raised the importance of strengthening border security and implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2396 to deter terrorist travel. He also discussed the need to counter terrorist financing through robust sanctions regimes and strong investigative, prosecutorial, and judicial capabilities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Adam Raishani, aka “Saddam Mohamed Raishani,” 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 20 years in prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release for attempting to provide and conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $1,869,144 settlement with Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (‘Stanley Black & Decker’) and its foreign subsidiary, Jiangsu Guoqiang Tools Co., Ltd. (‘GQ’). Stanley Black & Decker, a company based in New Britain, Connecticut, on behalf of itself and its subsidiary located in China, GQ, has agreed to settle its potential civil liability for 23 apparent violations of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 560 (ITSR). Specifically, between on or about June 29, 2013 and on or about December 30, 2014, GQ exported and attempted to export 23 shipments of power tools and spare parts, with a total value of $3,201,647.73, to Iran or to a third country with knowledge that such goods were intended specifically for supply, transshipment, or re-exportation, directly or indirectly, to Iran, which would have been prohibited if engaged in by a U.S. person, under §§ 560.203 and 560.204 of the ITSR. These transactions appear to have violated § 560.215 of the ITSR. OFAC determined that Stanley Black & Decker voluntarily self-disclosed the apparent violations on behalf of GQ, and that the apparent violations constitute an egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) this week convened a regional capacity-building workshop in Riyadh focused on Iranian illicit finance schemes and the risks Iran poses to the international financial system. The TFTC, launched in 2017, is a multilateral effort among the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman to counter terrorist financing. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against 25 individuals and entities, including a network of Iran, UAE, and Turkey-based front companies, that have transferred over a billion dollars and euros to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), in addition to procuring millions of dollars’ worth of vehicles for MODAFL. Today’s action exposes an extensive sanctions evasion network established by the Iranian regime, which it increasingly relies on as the United States’ maximum pressure campaign severely constricts the regime’s sources of revenue. OFAC also designated Iran’s MODAFL pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for its role in assisting the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), as well as an Iran-based bank for providing banking services to the IRGC-QF. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) updated its Advisory to the Maritime Petroleum Shipping Community to highlight risks associated with shipments to Syria. This advisory updates Treasury’s November 20, 2018 Advisory to include additional guidelines and risks associated with facilitating the shipment of petroleum destined for Syrian Government-owned and -operated ports, to include petroleum of Iranian origin. It adds dozens of new vessels involved in illicit oil shipments, including 16 shipping to Syria and more than 30 engaging in ship-to-ship transfers, and highlights concerns with shipments of petroleum from Iran. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the Departments of State and the Treasury designated 31 Iranian entities and individuals under Executive Order (E.O.) 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and WMD delivery systems and their supporters. The 14 individuals and 17 entities designated today are all linked to Iran’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, also known by its Persian acronym, SPND. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration continues to hold the Iranian regime accountable for activities that threaten the region’s stability and harm the Iranian people. This includes ensuring that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), together with the U.S. Department of State, designated 14 individuals and 17 entities today in connection with Iran’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), which has provided support to designated Iranian defense entities and whose key personnel played a central role in the Iranian regime’s past nuclear weapons effort. This action targets current SPND subordinate groups, supporters, front companies, and associated officials. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States sanctioned the Venezuelan Economic and Social Development Bank (BANDES) and five subsidiaries (Banco Bandes Uruguay S.A., Banco de Venezuela S.A., Banco Universal, Banco Bicentenario del Pueblo, and Banco Prodem S.A.). In addition, the U.S. government today determined that persons operating in Venezuela’s financial sector could be subject to sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13850. This action targets a financial institution that the former Maduro regime uses to move money stolen from the Venezuelan people outside of Venezuela. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating Banco de Desarrollo Economico y Social de Venezuela (BANDES), and any entity in which BANDES owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850 as amended by E.O. 13857, for operating in the financial sector of the Venezuelan economy, following a determination by Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin, in consultation with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, that persons operating in Venezuela’s financial sector may be subject to sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13850 as amended by E.O. 13857. In addition, OFAC is amending General License 4 – “Authorizing New Debt Transactions and Transactions involving Certain Banks Related to the Exportation or Reexportation of Agricultural Commodities, Medicine, Medical Devices, or Replacement Parts and Components,” and issuing the following four new Venezuela-related general licenses in connection with this designation: General License 15 – “Authorizing Transactions Involving Certain Banks Prohibited by Executive Order 13850 for Certain Entities,” General License 16 – “Authorizing Maintenance of U.S. Person Accounts and Noncommercial, Personal Remittances involving Certain Banks,” General License 17 – “Authorizing Certain Activities Necessary to Wind Down of Operations or Existing Contracts with Certain Banks,” and General License 18? – “Authorizing Certain Transactions Involving Integracion Administradora de Fondos de Ahorro Previsional, S.A.” Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Banco de Desarrollo Economico y Social de Venezuela, or BANDES, pursuant to E.O. 13850, as amended, for operating in the financial sector of the Venezuelan economy, as well as four additional financial institutions that BANDES owns or controls. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has amended the terrorist designations of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to include Amaq News Agency, Al Hayat Media Center, and other aliases. These aliases have been added to ISIS’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224. Additionally the Department of State has reviewed and maintained the FTO designation of ISIS. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), along with the Departments of State and the U.S. Coast Guard, issued this update? to the February 2018 sanctions advisory focused on North Korea’s illicit shipping practices. This advisory alerts persons globally to deceptive shipping practices used by North Korea to evade sanctions, and provides industry with guidance to mitigate risk associated with these deceptive practices. Since initial publication in February 2018, North Korea has continued to engage in illicit ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum, which exposes parties involved in the shipping industry, including insurers, flag registries, shipping companies, and financial institutions to significant sanctions risk. The advisory contains new red flags and typologies for industry to be aware of, and provides an update on the deceptive shipping tactics used by North Korea. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced the designation of two shipping companies that have helped North Korea evade sanctions. Today’s action highlights the deceptive methods that the North Korean regime uses to circumvent international and U.S. sanctions, as well as the U.S. Government’s commitment to implement existing UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Both companies are based in China. In a related action, OFAC, along with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Coast Guard, is updating the North Korea shipping advisory and adding dozens of vessels that are believed to have engaged in ship-to-ship (STS) transfers with North Korean tankers or exported North Korean coal. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three senior Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) officials pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13413, as amended by E.O. 13671, which authorizes sanctions in light of actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in the DRC. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – In early February of 2019, multiple users of OFAC’s data files contacted OFAC’s technical support hotline to report difficulty in downloading sanctions list data files hosted at this URL: https://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/. After investigating the issue, the Treasury Department discovered that changes had been made regarding HTTP request methods. These changes generally affected users that leverage command line connections to Treasury’s website. Users who download OFAC’s sanctions list data files manually via browser will not be impacted by this change. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated CVG Compania General de Mineria de Venezuela CA, or Minerven, the Venezuelan state-run ferrous metals mining company, and its President, Adrian Antonio Perdomo Mata, targeting the illicit gold operations that have continued to prop up the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas Maduro. Today’s action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended, targets an entity and an individual that operate in the gold sector of the Venezuelan economy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States takes necessary actions to prevent the former Maduro regime from further plundering Venezuela’s assets and natural resources. On November 1, 2018, President Trump signed Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, which targets persons operating in the gold sector of the Venezuelan economy. Today, the United States is designating the Venezuelan state-owned gold-sector company, MINERVEN, and its president, Adrian Antonio Perdomo Mata, for operating in this sector. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States, EU, and Canada took coordinated action in response to Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine by imposing sanctions on individuals who orchestrated the unjustified November 25 attack on three Ukrainian naval vessels near the Kerch Strait. Additionally, the United States imposed sanctions on six Russian defense firms, including shipbuilding companies; two individuals involved in the November sham “elections” in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine; and two Russian energy and construction companies operating in Crimea. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated six Russian individuals and eight entities in response to Russia’s continued and ongoing aggression in Ukraine. Today’s action targets individuals and entities playing a role in Russia’s unjustified attacks on Ukrainian naval vessels in the Kerch Strait, the purported annexation of Crimea, and backing of illegitimate separatist government elections in eastern Ukraine. These actions complement sanctions also taken today by the European Union and Canada, and underscore the strength and commitment of the transatlantic partnership to counter Russia’s continued destabilizing behavior and malign activities. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, travelled to London on March 14 to discuss the United Kingdom’s recent designation of Hizballah. During his visit, Ambassador Sales congratulated our British allies for their leadership in designating Hizballah in its entirety and rejecting the false distinction between its military wing and its purportedly “political” wing. As Secretary Pompeo recently noted, this Iran-sponsored terrorist group has American blood on its hands and continues to plot and carry out attacks in the Middle East, Europe, and around the world. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

Washington – The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is replacing the List of Foreign Financial Institutions Subject to Part 561 (the “Part 561 List”) with the List of Foreign Financial Institutions Subject to Correspondent Account or Payable-Through Account Sanctions (the “CAPTA List”). Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Fifteenth Coordinating Committee Meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), co-chaired by Morocco and the Netherlands, took place today in Malaga, Spain. Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ambassador Nathan A. Sales represented the United States and briefed GCTF members on the activities of the Foreign Terrorist Fighter (FTF) Working Group, urged countries to repatriate and prosecute their FTFs, and called on GCTF members to more equitably share the financial burden of operating the organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – As part of its work with the National Space Council, the Department of State requests comments from the public to inform its review of the controls implemented in recent revisions to Categories IV and XV of the United States Munitions List (USML). The Department periodically reviews USML categories to ensure that they are clear, do not inadvertently control items in normal commercial use, account for technological developments, and properly implement the national security and foreign policy objectives of the United States Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Kim Anh Vo, a.k.a. ‘F@ng,’ a.k.a. ‘SyxxZMC,’ a.k.a. ‘Zozo,’ a.k.a. ‘Miss.Bones,’ a.k.a. ‘Sage Pi,’ a.k.a. ‘Kitty Lee,’ was arrested this morning in Hephzibah, Georgia. Vo was charged by a criminal Complaint with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Vo is expected to be presented later today before Magistrate Judge Brian K. Epps in Augusta, Georgia, federal court. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States sanctioned Evrofinance Mosnarbank, a Moscow-based bank jointly owned by Russia and Venezuela. With this action, we are targeting a financial institution involved in facilitating illegitimate transactions that prolong Maduro’s usurpation of democracy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Evrofinance Mosnarbank, a Moscow-based bank that is jointly owned by Russian and Venezuelan state-owned companies. As the Treasury has continued to escalate the use of sanctions against the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas Maduro, the net assets of Evrofinance Mosnarbank (Evrofinance) bank grew over 50 percent during 2018. Today’s action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, targets a foreign financial institution that has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PdVSA), which is itself an entity that has long been a vehicle for corruption, embezzlement, and money laundering by Maduro and his cronies. PdVSA, which was designated for operating in the oil sector of Venezuela on January 28, 2019, is a Venezuelan state-owned oil company. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The State Department has made several updates to the Cuba Restricted List, including adding five sub-entities owned by the Cuban military and one explanatory footnote. The Department also simplified some entries by removing references to parent companies. The changes take effect Tuesday, March 12, 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States commends the Kingdom of Morocco for repatriating eight Moroccan foreign terrorist fighters from Syria. Morocco is a highly capable partner in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and we appreciate its commitment to countering terrorism. Morocco’s actions should encourage other nations to repatriate and prosecute their citizens who have traveled to fight for ISIS. Repatriating foreign terrorist fighters to their countries of origin is the best solution to prevent them from returning to the battlefield. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

Washington – Today OFAC extended the expiration date of two general licenses related to GAZ Group by issuing General License No. 13K – Authorizing Certain Transactions Necessary to Divest or Transfer Debt, Equity, or Other Holdings in Certain Blocked Persons, and General License No. 15E – Authorizing Certain Activities Necessary to Maintenance or Wind Down of Operations or Existing Contracts. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has designated the Iranian proxy group Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN) and its leader, Akram ‘Abbas al-Kabi, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. Today’s designations seek to deny HAN and al-Kabi the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of their property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – Notice is hereby given that the Department of State has rescinded the statutory debarment of Rocky Mountain Instrument Company included in Federal Register notice of September 8, 2010. Section 38(g)(4) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 22 U.S.C. 2778(g)(4), prohibits the issuance of licenses or other approvals for the export of defense articles or defense services where the applicant, or any party to the export, has been convicted of violating the AECA and certain other U.S. criminal statues enumerated in §?38(g)(1) of the AECA. In addition, §?127.7(b) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) provides for the statutory debarment of any person who has been convicted of violating or conspiring to violate the AECA. As stated in this provision, it is the policy of the Department of State not to consider applications for licenses or requests for approvals involving any person who has been statutorily debarred. Persons subject to statutory debarment are prohibited from participating directly or indirectly in any activities that are subject to the ITAR. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Gregory Lepsky, 22, of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for planning to construct and use a pressure cooker bomb in New York on behalf of a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated six Venezuelan government officials who are aligned with illegitimate former President Nicolas Maduro and associated with the obstruction of humanitarian aid deliveries into Venezuela on February 23, 2019. In order to prevent much needed aid from reaching the suffering people of Venezuela, Maduro closed Venezuela’s border and deployed official, and unofficial, military and security forces to Venezuela’s borders with Colombia and Brazil where the humanitarian aid convoys were set to cross. This action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, targets six security officials who control many of the groups that prevented humanitarian aid from entering Venezuela, thereby exacerbating the humanitarian crisis that has left millions of Venezuelans starving and without access to medical care under the Maduro regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has reviewed and maintained the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended (8 U.S.C. § 1189). The PKK was originally designated as an FTO in 1997. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States took action against six security officials of the illegitimate Maduro regime associated with obstruction of the entry of international humanitarian aid into Venezuela or violence against those who attempted to deliver this assistance. Sanctions were imposed on Richard Jesus Lopez Vargas, Commanding General of the Venezuelan National Guard, Jesus Maria Mantilla Oliveros, Commander of Strategic Integral Defense Region Guayana, Alberto Mirtiliano Bermudez Valderrey, Division General for the Integral Defense Zone in Bolivar State, Jose Leonardo Norono Torres, Division General and Commander for the Integral Defense Zone in Tachira State, Jose Miguel Dominguez Ramirez, Chief Commissioner of the FAES (police special forces) in Tachira, and Cristhiam Abelardo Morales Zambrano, National Police Director. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – Darling Industries, Inc. settled allegations that it violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) in connection with unauthorized exports of defense articles, including technical data; the unauthorized provision of defense services; and the failure to appoint a qualified Empowered Official. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State has concluded an administrative settlement with Darling Industries, Inc. (Darling) of Tucson, Arizona, to resolve alleged violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 22 U.S.C. § 2751 et seq., and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130. The Department of State and Darling have reached this settlement following an extensive compliance review by the Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance in the Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A 35-year-old resident of Tulalip, Washington was convicted late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle on four federal felonies related to illegal gun possession and trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. HANY VELETANLIC, a citizen of Bosnia legally residing in the United States, was found guilty of violating the Arms Export Control Act, illegally possessing two unregistered silencers, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The jury deliberated nearly three hours following two days of testimony. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – Notice is hereby given that the Department of State has forwarded the attached Notifications of proposed Export Licenses to the Congress on the dates indicated on the attachments. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— DDTC

WASHINGTON – The Department of State published a Federal Register Notice on February 12, 2019, notifying the public of the Emergency processing and approval of this collection by April 1, 2019. The Notice using Docket Number: DOS–2018–0063 contained an incorrect date when all comments must be received. This document corrects the date to March 14, 2019. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Five years ago, Russia’s occupation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula fueled an escalation of Russian aggression. Russia attempted to upend the international order, undermined basic human freedoms, and weakened our common security. The world has not forgotten the cynical lies Russia employed to justify its aggression and mask its attempted annexation of Ukrainian territory. Russia’s use of force against a peaceful neighbor must not be tolerated by reputable states. The United States reiterates its unwavering position: Crimea is Ukraine and must be returned to Ukraine’s control. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Amer Sinan Alhaggagi was sentenced today to 188 months for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and identity theft charges. Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers of the National Security Division, United States Attorney David L. Anderson for the Northern District of California and FBI Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett of the San Francisco Field Office made the announcement. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, Senior U.S. District Judge. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DDTC

Bengaluru – Top ranking US defence department officials Thursday said they were looking forward to working with India to deal with terrorism as it was a common threat to the interests of both the countries. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State – Directorate of Defense Trade Controls

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States took action against four governors aligned with the illegitimate Maduro regime who prevented desperately needed international humanitarian assistance from entering Venezuela and/or engaged in corruption to the detriment of the Venezuelan people, in some cases involving human rights violations. Sanctions were imposed on the governors of the states of Zulia: Omar Prieto, Carabobo: Rafael Lacava, Apure: Ramon Carrizalez, and Vargas: Jorge Garcia Carneiro. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four officials aligned with the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas Maduro. This action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, targets the Governors of four Venezuelan states involved in endemic corruption and in blocking the delivery of critical humanitarian aid, thereby exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the illegitimate Maduro regime. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

Washington – Today OFAC announced a $506,250 settlement with ZAG IP, LLC (formerly known as ZAG International, LLC) (“ZAG”), a U.S. company with its business address in Newtown, Connecticut, for five apparent violations of § 560.206 of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 560 (ITSR). Specifically, between on or about July 11, 2014 and on or about January 15, 2015, through five separate transactions, ZAG purchased a total of 263,563 metric tons of Iranian-origin clinker from a company located in the United Arab Emirates, with knowledge that the cement clinker was sourced from Iran, and then resold and transported it to a company in Tanzania. OFAC determined that ZAG voluntarily self-disclosed the apparent violations to OFAC, and that the apparent violations constitute a non-egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Indian national Jasmeet Hakimzada as a Significant Foreign Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). OFAC also designated two Indian nationals and four entities registered in India or the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that form part of the narcotics trafficking organization run by Jasmeet Hakimzada. As a result, any assets in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated five officials aligned with illegitimate former President Nicolas Maduro, who continue to repress democracy and democratic actors in Venezuela and engage in significant corruption and fraud against the people of Venezuela. This action, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, targets the head of the Venezuelan National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), Manuel Ricardo Cristopher Figuera, and SEBIN’s First Commissioner, Hildemaro Jose Rodriguez Mucura; the Commander of Venezuela’s Directorate General of Military Counter-Intelligence, Ivan Rafael Hernandez Dala; and the Director of the Venezuelan National Police’s Special Actions Force (FAES), Rafael Enrique Bastardo Mendoza. Additionally OFAC designated the illegitimate President of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), Manuel Salvador Quevedo Fernandez. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – The United States remains steadfast in its support of Venezuelan Interim President Juan Guaido, the transitional government, and the Venezuelan people. We will continue to use the full weight of U.S. economic and diplomatic power to press for the restoration of Venezuelan democracy. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

Washington – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $5,512,564 penalty against AppliChem GmbH (‘AppliChem’) of Darmstadt, Germany for 304 violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 515. Between May 2012 and February 2016, AppliChem violated § 515.201 of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations when it fulfilled Cuba orders of chemical reagents on 304 invoices. OFAC determined that AppliChem’s U.S. parent voluntarily self-disclosed the apparent violations, and that the apparent violations constitute an egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated an Iran-based entity, as well as four associated individuals, that organize international conferences in support of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force’s (IRGC-QF’s) efforts to recruit and collect intelligence from foreign attendees, including U.S. persons. In addition, the Department of the Treasury designated a separate Iran-based entity and six associated individuals involved in a malicious cyber campaign targeting current and former U.S. government personnel to gain access to and implant malware on their computer systems. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated an Iran-based entity that organizes international conferences that supported the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force’s (IRGC-QF’s) efforts to recruit and collect intelligence from foreign attendees, including U.S. persons, and four associated individuals. OFAC also designated a separate Iran-based entity and six associated individuals involved in the targeting of current and former U.S. government and military personnel as part of a malicious cyber campaign to gain access to and implant malware on their computer systems. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A New York man was charged today with attempting and conspiring to provide material support to Lashkar e-Tayyiba (‘LeT’), a Pakistan-based designated foreign terrorist organization responsible for multiple high-profile attacks, including the infamous Mumbai attacks in Nov. 2008. Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman for the Southern District of New York, the Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney of the FBI New York Field Office and Commissioner James P. O’Neill of the Police Department for the City of New York (NYPD) made the announcement. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

Washington – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $13,381 settlement with Kollmorgen Corporation (‘Kollmorgen’) of Radford, Virginia. Kollmorgen has agreed to settle potential civil liability on behalf of its Turkish affiliate Elsim Elektroteknik Sistemler Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi (“Elsim”) for six apparent violations of Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 560 (ITSR). The apparent violations involved Elsim dispatching employees to Iran to service machines and providing other services to Iran in violation of ITSR § 560.215. OFAC determined that Kollmorgen voluntarily self-disclosed the apparent violations on behalf of Elsim and that the apparent violations constitute a non-egregious case. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took unprecedented action to concurrently designate a foreign sanctions evader and announce a directly related settlement with a U.S. company. OFAC sanctioned a Turkey-based individual, Evren Kayakiran, who directed a foreign subsidiary of a U.S. company to violate U.S. sanctions against Iran and then attempted to conceal those violations. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— STATE

WASHINGTON – At the Global Coalition Washington Ministerial on February 6, the U.S. Department of State wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the Coalition and its goals. The 79-member Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS has worked diligently since 2014 to reduce the threat ISIS poses to international security and our homelands. The Coalition’s combined efforts have diminished ISIS’ military capability, territorial control, leadership, financial resources, and online influence. Members are united in common cause to defeat ISIS through a robust approach, including working by, with, and through local partners for military operations; supporting the stabilization of territory liberated from ISIS; and enhancing international cooperation against ISIS’ global objectives through information sharing, law enforcement cooperation, severing ISIS’ financing, countering terrorist recruitment, and neutralizing ISIS’ narrative. The Coalition is also engaged in civilian efforts to provide needs based humanitarian aid assistance to communities suffering from displacement and conflict, and supporting stabilization efforts in territory liberated from ISIS. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Erick Jamal Hendricks, 38, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). A jury in Akron, Ohio, convicted Hendricks last year of attempting and conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States has taken necessary actions to prevent the illegitimate former Maduro regime from further plundering Venezuela’s assets and natural resources. The United States has determined that persons operating in Venezuela’s oil sector may now be subject to sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850 signed by President Trump on November 1, 2018. Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) has been designated for operating within this sector. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State

— OFAC

Washington – Today the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850 for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy. PdVSA is a Venezuelan state-owned oil company and a primary source of Venezuela’s income and foreign currency, to include U.S. dollars and Euros. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— OFAC

Washington – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today lifted sanctions imposed on En+ Group plc (“En+”), UC Rusal plc (“Rusal”), and JSC EuroSibEnergo (“ESE”), following an earlier notification submitted to Congress on December 19, 2018. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Three men from southwest Kansas were sentenced to 25, 26 and 30 years imprisonment on charges of conspiring to detonate a bomb at an apartment complex in Garden Citywhere Muslim immigrants lived, announced Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker; United States Attorney for the District of Kansas Stephen McAllister; FBI Director Chris Wray; Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Eric Dreiband; Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division John C. Demers; and FBI Kansas City Division Special Agent in Charge Darrin E. Jones. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — A former Sugar Land, Texas, resident has been arrested and detained for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick and Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Office. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— OFAC

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against two Syria-based, Iran-backed militias composed of foreign nationals, an Iranian airline linked to designated Iranian airline Mahan Air and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), and an Armenian general sales agent (GSA) providing services to Mahan Air. The Fatemiyoun Division, composed of Afghan nationals, and the Zaynabiyoun Brigade, consisting of Pakistani nationals, are IRGC-QF-led, Syria-based militias whose fighters are recruited by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Basij militia mostly from Afghan and Pakistani refugees and migrants residing in Iran. On October 16, 2018, OFAC designated the Basij militia, along with its vast network of 20 corporations and financial institutions, for recruiting fighters, including child soldiers, for the IRGC-QF’s operations in Syria. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control

— DOJ

WASHINGTON — Three residents of Lansing, Michigan, were arrested without incident Monday afternoon for conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan charged all three in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The conspiracy charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice

— STATE

WASHINGTON – Ambassador James Jeffrey, the current Special Representative for Syria Engagement, will take on the additional role of the Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, effective January 4, 2019. With this additional responsibility, Ambassador Jeffrey will lead and coordinate U.S. Department of State relations with the Global Coalition to defeat ISIS and Department efforts to implement President Trump’s announcement of a responsible U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria that is coordinated with our global Allies and partners consistent with U.S. goals for Syria and Iraq, including the enduring defeat of ISIS. Read more…

Source: U.S. Dept. of State