On June 10, 2021, the People’s Republic of China adopted the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law (the “Law”). The main purpose of the Law is to provide a legal basis for China to adopt retaliatory measures against any so-called “discriminatorily restrictive measures” that may be imposed by foreign countries against Chinese organizations and citizens (the “Foreign Sanctions”).… Continue Reading
On April 15, 2021, the US announced a marked expansion of sanctions against Russia and President Biden issued a new Executive Order authorizing the imposition of yet more sanctions. The sanctions include restrictions on certain transactions involving Russian sovereign debt, as well as the designation of 46 individuals and entities implicated in Russia’s annexation of Crimea, foreign … Continue Reading
In early October, OFAC announced a US$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”), agreed to settle its potential civil liability for 289 alleged violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR). Specifically, between December 2010 and February … Continue Reading
Responding to Turkey’s actions in Syria, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) blocking property and suspending entry of certain persons contributing to the situation in Syria. Pursuant to the EO, OFAC added three Turkish government officials and two Turkish government agencies, the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) … Continue Reading
On September 4, 2019, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published in the Federal Register a new final rule on the Nicaragua Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 582 (Nicaragua Regulations), which implement Executive Order (EO) 13851 of November 27, 2018, “Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Nicaragua”. The Nicaragua Regulations mirror the substance … Continue Reading
On August 5, 2019, President Trump signed a new Venezuela-related Executive Order (EO), which imposes additional sanctions on the government of Venezuela. … Continue Reading
On January 27, 2019, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it has removed from its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list certain information for EN+ Group PLC, JSC Eurosibenergo and United Company RUSAL PLC.… Continue Reading
On January 24, 2019, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it has added several individuals and aircraft to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list. It also updated information relating to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.… Continue Reading
On January 8, 2019, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela-related General License 6, which authorizes the winding down of certain specified transactions with Globovision Tele C.A. and Globovision Tele CA, Corp. until January 8, 2020. Additionally, OFAC issued new FAQs for General License 6, and also added several new individuals and entities to … Continue Reading
On October 5, 2018, the US Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced an agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JPMC) to settle potential civil liability arising from 87 apparent violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, and the Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators Sanctions Regulations. According to OFAC, “the transactions … Continue Reading
OFAC announced new regulations implementing certain provisions of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (Magnitsky Act) on 20 December 2017. The regulations became effective upon publication in the Federal Register on December 21. OFAC also announced the addition of five designations to the SDN List pursuant to the Magnitsky Act.… Continue Reading
On 29 June 2017, the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced a proposed rule that would designate China’s Bank of Dandong to be a foreign financial institution of primary money laundering concern under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act. The measure responds to findings that the bank used the US financial system to facilitate millions of dollars … Continue Reading
In June 2017, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) imposed coordinated sanctions against two entities from the Crimea Region of Ukraine and eight entities from Russia. OFAC added each entity to the OFAC List of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN List) and Block Persons under the executive orders implemented … Continue Reading
On 17 May 2017, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated for sanctions seven persons connected to Iran’s ballistic missile programme. Among those targeted by the sanctions are two senior Iranian defense officials, including the Deputy Director for Commerce of Iran’s Defense Industries Organization, Morteza Farasatpour. Farasatpour was responsible for coordinating … Continue Reading
OFAC has issued new regulations (at 31 C.F.R. Part 554) implementing the President’s Executive Order 13712, of 22 November 2015, imposing sanctions against Burundi. The sanctions consist of measures blocking property and interests in property of persons listed in or designated pursuant to Executive Order 13712, published in the Federal Register and incorporated into OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked … Continue Reading
