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  • OFAC sanctions Paraguayan official

    Financial Crimes

    On August 24, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13818 against three Paraguayan individuals and five entities under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. According to OFAC, the designations highlight the financial risks and activities where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay converge, which is marked by many unregistered money exchange houses, trade based money laundering, and a lack of awareness regarding money laundering and terrorist financing typologies, among other things. As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property belonging to the sanctioned persons, and “any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more” by them that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. OFAC notes that its regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with these individual and entities, which include “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.”

    Financial Crimes OFAC Department of Treasury OFAC Sanctions SDN List Of Interest to Non-US Persons OFAC Designations Paraguay Argentina Brazil Anti-Money Laundering

  • OFAC sanctions Eritrean official

    Financial Crimes

    On August 23, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13818 against an Eritrean individual under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. According to OFAC, the sanctioned individual is the leader or official of an entity that is involved in human rights abuse committed during the continuing conflict in Tigray. As a result of the sanctions, all transactions by U.S. persons or in the U.S. that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are generally prohibited. OFAC notes that its regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with these persons, which include “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person.”

     

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

  • President Biden issues executive order blocking certain Russian pipelines

    Financial Crimes

    On August 20, President Biden signed Executive Order (E.O.) Blocking Property with Respect to Certain Russian Energy Expert Pipelines to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in E.O. 14024 (covered by InfoBytes here) related to specific harmful foreign activities by the Russian government. The new E.O. prohibits, among other things, (i) “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order”; and (ii) “the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.” Concurrently, OFAC issued Russia-related General License (GL) 1A, as well as several new and updated FAQs related to the updated designations (see FAQs 894, 919, 920, and 921). Specifically, GL 1A authorizes certain activities involving the Federal State Budgetary Institution Marine Rescue Service (MRS) (“or any entity in which MRS owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest”) that are not related to the construction of specified pipeline projects. Several individuals and entities have also been added to OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals List.

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

  • OFAC sanctions Russian officials

    Financial Crimes

    On August 20, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of State joined the United Kingdom in announcing sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13382 against nine Russian individuals and two Russian entities in connection with poisoning or Russia’s chemical weapons program under a Russian opposition leader. According to OFAC, this is the third time Treasury has used discretionary authority to respond to Russia’s use of a chemical agent against its own citizens (covered by InfoBytes here). The Department of State also designated several entities and persons pursuant to E.O. 13382 for “having engaged, or attempted to engage, in activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery” by Russia. As a result of the sanctions, all of the property and interests in property of the designated persons that are in the U.S. or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, as well as any entities that are owned 50 percent or more by the designated persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Additionally, OFAC regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons unless exempt or otherwise authorized by an OFAC general or specific license. OFAC further warned that “any foreign person who knowingly facilitates a significant transaction or transactions for or on behalf of one of these persons risks being sanctioned.”

     

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

  • OFAC sanctions Cuban officials

    Financial Crimes

    On August 20, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13818 against three Cuban individuals under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. According to OFAC, this is the fourth round of sanctions since protests started in Cuba in July, as OFAC continues to impose sanctions on individuals and entities connected with actions to suppress peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba (covered by InfoBytes here and here). As a result of the sanctions, all transactions by U.S. persons or in the U.S. that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are generally prohibited. OFAC notes that its regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with these persons, which include “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person.”

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

  • FinCEN’s interactive SAR stats include 2020 data

    Financial Crimes

    On August 19, FinCEN announced that its Interactive SAR Stats webpage now includes Filing Trend Data by industry updated through December 31, 2020. As previously covered by InfoBytes, SAR Stats—formerly called By the Numbers—is an annual compilation of numerical data gathered from the Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) filed by financial institutions using FinCEN’s new unified SAR form and e-filing process. Interactive SAR Stats provide users the opportunity to find FinCEN’s trend data for aggregated counts of defined suspicious activities that financial institutions file with FinCEN as required by the Bank Secrecy Act.

    Financial Crimes FinCEN SARs Of Interest to Non-US Persons Bank Secrecy Act

  • OFAC sanctions international oil smuggling network

    Financial Crimes

    On August 13, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13224 against several individuals and businesses allegedly involved in an international oil smuggling network supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). According to OFAC, senior IRGC-QF officials use proceeds from the designated persons’ involvement in Iranian oil exports, including through the shipment of Iranian oil to foreign customers, to help fund the group’s destabilizing regional activities. Director Andrea M. Gacki noted the “sales rely on key foreign intermediaries to obscure the IRGC-QF’s involvement” and stressed that OFAC “will continue to disrupt and expose anyone supporting these efforts.” As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property belonging to the sanctioned persons are blocked. OFAC’s announcement further noted that OFAC regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with designated persons, adding that “foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitate significant transactions for, or persons that provide material or certain other support to, the persons designated today risk exposure to sanctions that could sever their access to the U.S. financial system or block their property or interests in property under U.S. jurisdiction.”

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

  • OFAC sanctions Cuban officials

    Financial Crimes

    On August 13, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13818 against two Cuban individuals and one Cuban entity under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. According to OFAC, this is the third round of sanctions since protests started in Cuba in July, as the Department continues to impose sanctions on individuals and entities connected with actions to suppress peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba (covered by InfoBytes here and here). As a result of the sanctions, all transactions by U.S. persons or in the U.S. that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are generally prohibited. OFAC notes that its regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from participating in transactions with these persons, which include “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person.”

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

  • Treasury issues Cuba joint fact sheet

    Financial Crimes

    On August 11, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released a fact sheet to emphasize the U.S. government’s commitment to promoting the ability of the Cuban people “to seek, receive, and impart information” through access to the internet. According to OFAC, “[t]he fact sheet highlights the most relevant exemptions and authorizations pertinent to supporting the Cuban people through the provision of certain internet and related telecommunications services.” The fact sheet also notes that though most transactions between persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction and Cuba are prohibited under the current embargo, the U.S. government permits certain activities to support the Cuban people’s access to information on the internet. The relevant OFAC regulations can be found in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 515 and the relevant BIS regulations can be found in the Export Administration Regulations, 15 C.F.R. parts 730-774.

    Financial Crimes OFAC Department of Commerce Cuba

  • FinCEN hosts second ransomware exchange

    Financial Crimes

    On August 10, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) held a virtual “FinCEN Exchange” with representatives from financial institutions, other key industry stakeholders, and federal government agencies to discuss continuing concerns regarding ransomware. As previously covered by InfoBytes, in July, FinCEN announced the event, which builds upon FinCEN’s November 2020 event regarding ransomware. Topics discussed at the FinCEN Exchange included “cybercrime, trends and typologies, detection and reporting, and the recovery of funds after ransomware attacks.” FinCEN’s recent efforts against ransomware attacks include: (i) issuing an advisory in October 2020 to aid U.S. individuals and businesses in combating ransomware scams and attacks (covered by InfoBytes here); and (ii) highlighting ransomware in June as a particularly acute cybercrime concern in its issuance of the first government-wide priorities for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism policy. According to FinCEN, the agency will host a “ransomware technical workshop to discuss ways to establish an enhanced and more effective way to communicate, monitor, and receive information related to the use of cryptocurrency connected to a ransomware incident.”

    Financial Crimes FinCEN Ransomware Of Interest to Non-US Persons Anti-Money Laundering Combating the Financing of Terrorism

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