Evolving sanctions rules make continuous screening, due diligence essential in 2025
The EU and U.K. have rushed to commit themselves to intensifying action on sanctions evasion after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, but any compliance managers who believe Trump will make global sanctions compliance easier in 2025 are likely to be disappointed.
U.K., EU enforcement regimes set to escalate, but critics question sanctions’ effectiveness
With a new political regime ready to take over in the U.S., the effectiveness of sanctions against malign foreign actors like Russia, North Korea, and Iran have come into question. While the European Union and U.K. have increased sanctions pressure, critics have publicly asked: Is it enough?
U.S. Appeals Court ruling in Tornado Cash case opens door for AML regulatory unwind
In striking down penalties against cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash for violating U.S. sanctions, a federal appeals court may have started to chip away at anti-money laundering regulations established by Democrats even before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
U.K. sanctions 56 entities connected to Russia’s 'war machine'
The U.K. has issued 56 new sanctions against entities and individuals involved with Russia’s war effort, including several private mercenary groups operating in Africa that are connected to the Kremlin.
DOJ proposes rule that would block sale of Americans’ personal data to Chinese, Russian firms
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed a new rule that would regulate the use of Americans’ personal information by foreign companies and foreign persons in six “countries of concern,” prohibiting and restricting the sale of data to thwart the use of data for cyber-enabled activities, espionage, coercion, influence and ...
Raytheon parent RTX settles false claims, defective pricing, Qatar FCPA violations for $950M
The other shoe finally dropped for Raytheon and parent company RTX, as two U.S. regulators announced nearly $1 billion in penalties to settle defective pricing in defense contracts, false claims related to inflated prices on government contracts, and bribes paid to government officials in Qatar that violated the FCPA.
DOJ steps up enforcement approach against AI-powered cybercrime
The Criminal Division of the Department of Justice plans to heighten its focus on cybercrime, according to division head Nicole Argentieri.
New U.K. enforcement body piles pressure on sanctions evaders
Global sanctions rules are increasing rapidly, as are tools to detect and punish those who break them. In response, the U.K. government is creating a new Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation to investigate and penalize those who break sanctions rules.
FinCEN, OFAC sanction crypto platforms linked to Russia, cybercrime
U.S. and European law enforcement agencies have announced sanctions against two Russia-linked cryptocurrency platforms in their ongoing chase to snuff out Russian-linked financial platforms that assist cybercriminals.
How lax compliance led three defense companies to give military secrets to U.S. adversaries
There are dozens of ways foreign countries can get their hands on U.S. military secrets, including cyberhacking, espionage, theft, and more. But one increasingly concerning way has been through unintentional disclosures by trusted defense contractors, including Boeing, 3D Systems Corp., and RTX Corp., parent company of Raytheon.
Report: U.K. sanctions enforcement against Russia lacking since invasion of Ukraine
Sanctions imposed against Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine are being undermined by the U.K.’s poor track record of enforcement, according to a report by campaign group Spotlight on Corruption.
FRC orders EY to pay $376K over 2021 audit of Evraz
The Financial Reporting Council ordered a unit Ernst & Young UK to pay 296,000 pounds (U.S. $376,000) over the firm’s 2021 audit of Russia mining group Evraz.
OFAC sanctions entities providing electronic components for Iranian weapons
Five individuals and seven entities in Iran, China, and Hong Kong have been targeted for U.S. sanctions by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for helping to obtain components used in Iran’s missles and drones.
State Street to pay $7.5M to settle Russia sanctions violations by subsidiary
State Street Bank & Trust Co. will pay a $7.5 million fine to settle allegations by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control that a subsidiary violated sanctions against Russia.
OFAC sets Aug. 2 deadline for firms to report Russian sovereign assets
Financial institutions holding Russian sovereign assets that have not reported them to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control are now required to do so by Aug. 2.
BIS’s Axelrod makes plea to financial services: ‘We want to work with you’
Matthew Axelrod, assistant secretary for export enforcement at the Bureau of Industry and Security, addressed efforts to reach financial services firms, working with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and more during his fireside chat at CW’s Financial Crimes Summit.
Panelists break down robust sanctions landscape at TPRM Summit
Sanctions compliance officers face myriad challenges as complex geopolitical situations heighten risks worldwide, experts discussed during Compliance Week’s Third-Party Risk Management & Oversight Summit.
DXC Technology says no penalties on self-disclosed Russian sanctions matter
IT services company DXC Technology disclosed it received word from the Office of Foreign Assets Control and Bureau of Industry and Security that it won’t be penalized regarding potential Russian sanctions/export control violations it voluntarily self-disclosed in 2022.
Treasury details oligarch-tied Russia sanctions evasion scheme
Three Russia-based companies and an individual were designated by the U.S. Treasury Department for trying to recapture more than $1.5 billion in frozen shares owned by a previously sanctioned Russian oligarch using a complex evasion scheme.
U.S., U.K. ban new Russian metal imports
The U.S. Treasury Department, in coordination with the United Kingdom, is clamping down harder on Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine by banning the import of Russian-origin aluminum, copper, and nickel.
CW2024 leadership panel on navigating scrutiny, prep for more change
The global political landscape should be high on the risk radar of compliance officers in 2024, according to compliance leaders speaking at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference, along with increased regulatory scrutiny toward forced labor, ESG, and M&A.
BIS rule expands export control restrictions on OFAC sanctioned entities
The Bureau of Industry and Security adopted a final rule to extend its export restrictions across more entities and individuals designated under certain sanctions programs maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
PURE Insurance to pay $466K in OFAC sanctions case
Insurance organization Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange agreed to pay $466,200 as part of a settlement with the Office of Foreign Assets Control addressing alleged sanctioned transactions on behalf of designated Ukrainian-Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg.
CoinList to pay $1.2M to settle Crimea sanctions violations
Virtual currency exchange CoinList Markets agreed to pay more than $1.2 million to settle allegations from the Office of Foreign Assets Control that it violated U.S. sanctions by processing transactions for customers located in the Crimea region of Ukraine.
New U.K. office eyeing 2024 to enforce trade sanctions
The U.K. government is set to establish a new agency to enforce trade sanctions and provide compliance guidance to businesses regarding the country’s sanctions regimes.
New OFAC sanctions target international Russia supporters
More than 150 new designations implemented by the Office of Foreign Assets Control continue U.S. efforts to crack down on entities and individuals supporting Russia from outside the country.
No clear path for leniency for U.K. firms navigating Russian sanctions
U.K. companies might be wary of informing regulators they have potentially violated sanctions against Russia over fears they could be publicly criticized for even minor breaches.
DOJ official: People ‘drawing the right conclusions’ on national security focus
Christian Nauvel, deputy chief counsel for corporate enforcement in the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, said the agency’s focus on national security is “top of mind at the highest levels” and that enforcement numbers are set to increase.
Naming and shaming? Fair approach? Expert views mixed on OFSI’s Wise Payments case
The recent decision by the U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation to disclose details of how Wise Payments failed to stop an individual from obtaining cash while subject to Russian sanctions has ignited debate about whether the agency is taking the right enforcement approach.
SEC: Investment adviser to sanctioned Russian oligarch failed to register
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against New York-based Concord Management and its owner for operating as an unregistered investment adviser to a lone client: a sanctioned Russian oligarch.
New OFAC sanctions expand clamps on Russia tech supply chain
The Office of Foreign Assets Control widened its area of focus to disrupt Russia’s technology supply chain with new sanctions announced against entities in Finland and Turkey.
FinCEN analysis: Trends in Russia export control evasion attempts
Analysis of suspicious activity reports by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network indicates nearly $1 billion in suspicious activity in cases of suspected evasion of Russia-related export controls.
Wise Payments cited for Russia sanctions breaches in landmark OFSI action
U.K.-based foreign exchange service Wise Payments was cited for breaching the country’s sanctions levied against Russia as part of the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation’s first use of its disclosure enforcement powers acquired last year.
Short seller accuses Freedom Holding Corp. of ‘brazen’ sanctions evasion
Freedom Holding Corp. was accused of “brazen sanctions evasion,” along with openly flouting anti-money laundering and know your customer regulations, as part of an investigative report published by short seller Hindenburg Research.
OFAC doubles down on sanctions against Belarusian regime
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced expanded sanctions against the Belarusian regime three years after the country’s disputed 2020 presidential election.
Common sanctions compliance trip points from 2023 enforcement cases
Penalties against companies including British American Tobacco, Wells Fargo, and Microsoft demonstrate the multiple ways in which businesses can run afoul of U.S. sanctions—an area receiving increased scrutiny by regulators.
G7 task force to aid crack down on corruption in Ukraine
The Group of Seven justice ministers announced a Japan-led joint task force to “help Ukraine strengthen the rule of law and fight corruption,” according to U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
Shades of SolarWinds in lessons from MOVEit hack
A ransomware attack affecting some of the U.K.’s largest corporations has highlighted once again how exposed organizations can be if the levels of cybersecurity used by their third parties are not as strong as expected.
DXC Technology self-reports possible Russian sanctions violations
DXC Technology Company disclosed it might have violated U.S. sanctions and export controls against Russia in its sale of a Russian subsidiary.
U.S. reinvigorates anti-Russia push with new sanctions, guidance
The United States once again ratcheted up sanctions against Russia in an attempt to further choke off the funds and military supplies the country is using in its war against Ukraine.
Attorney pleads guilty to aiding sanctioned Russian oligarch
New York attorney Robert Wise faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to making payments to maintain U.S. properties secretly owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg.
OFAC sanctions International Investment Bank over Russian ties
The International Investment Bank, a multinational development institution headquartered in Hungary, was designated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control for potentially facilitating the evasion of U.S. sanctions against Russia.
Microsoft to pay $3.3M to settle sanctions, export control violations
Microsoft will pay more than $3.3 million to settle charges from the Office of Foreign Assets Control and Bureau of Industry and Security its subsidiaries violated sanctions laws and export controls across their dealings in four sanctioned countries and Ukraine’s Crimea region.
Flutter Entertainment to pay $4M for legacy FCPA violations
Ireland-based gaming and sports betting company Flutter Entertainment will pay a $4 million fine to resolve SEC charges payments made to Russian consultants by a company it acquired violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
U.S. authorities list red flags for sanction evasion by third parties
The Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Foreign Assets Control, and Department of Justice issued guidance to highlight common methods bad actors use to evade sanctions and export controls on Russia and how to spot their use.
OFAC imposes new sanctions to mark anniversary of Russia’s Ukraine invasion
The Office of Foreign Assets Control unveiled a slew of new sanctions against financial services firms and individuals that either support Russia’s war effort or have been judged to be undermining existing U.S. sanctions.
Treasury No. 2 warns of increased Russian sanctions enforcement
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said the agency is primed to step up its enforcement efforts regarding sanctions and export controls announced against Russia in the year since the country invaded Ukraine.
Raiffeisen confirms OFAC probe into Russia, Ukraine business
Raiffeisen Bank International said it received a request for information from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control regarding its business activities related to Russia and Ukraine.
Banks fooled in DOJ Russian yacht sanctions evasion case
The Department of Justice’s charges against a U.K. businessman and his Russian partner for evading U.S. sanctions against a Russian oligarch provide insight into how the use of shell companies, third parties, and other methods can thwart the compliance efforts of financial institutions.
Crypto exchange Bitzlato shut down, labeled ‘money laundering concern’
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network designated Bitzlato, a Hong Kong-registered cryptocurrency exchange, as a “primary money laundering concern” in the first use of a law that targets entities that facilitate illicit Russian financial transactions.