All Sanctions articles
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News BriefSkyGeek dinged by OFAC for completing orders, refunds with sanctioned Russian firms
Nearly three years after Russia invaded Ukraine, numerous U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia-based companies connected to the war effort have made doing business in the country fraught with unseen risks, as one U.S. airplane parts distributor learned recently.
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News BriefTop 5 risks for 2025: U.S. uncertainty, global trade war, digital attacks
A prominent risk management firm has issued its predictions for the top five risks for business in 2025, along with guidance for how organizations should prepare and respond.
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News BriefOCC orders Bank of America to shore up BSA/AML, sanctions compliance programs
Bank of America avoided a monetary penalty in agreeing to settle charges with the Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency but was ordered to shore up previously disclosed deficiencies in its Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering (BSA/AML) and sanctions compliance programs.
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Basic PageMinnesota transport company hit with sanctions violations for Cuba, Iran trade
A Minnesota transportation company agreed to pay nearly $258,000 to settle allegations that a subsidiaries violated sanctions against Cuba and Iran more than 80 times, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said.
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PremiumEvolving 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.
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PremiumU.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?
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OpinionGerman firm Aiotec to pay $14.5M to settle Iran sanctions violation
German petrochemical parts supplier Aiotec agreed to pay $14.5 million to settle allegations that it engaged in a four-year conspiracy to dismantle and ship a plastics manufacturing plant owned by a U.S. company to Iran, in violation of U.S. sanctions.
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News BriefU.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.
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News BriefTrump names Scott Bessent to be Treasury secretary, with a clear deregulation agenda
Hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, named by Donald Trump on Friday as his nominee for Treasury Secretary, has a clear mandate to deregulate the financial markets should he take the helm.
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News BriefMetLife subsidiary fined $178K by OFAC for issuing premiums to Iran-controlled entities
A subsidiary of MetLife will pay more than $178,000 for violating U.S. sanctions on Iran when it provided insurance policies to entities in the United Arab Emirates owned or controlled by Iran.
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News BriefU.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.
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Basic PageVietnamese business pays $860K for violating U.S. sanctions on North Korea
A Vietnamese alcohol company has agreed to pay $860,000 to settle allegations by the Office of Foreign Assets Control that its business with North Korea involved U.S. financial institutions.
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PremiumNew 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.
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News BriefStarling Bank fined $38.5M for repeatedly onboarding high-risk customers
The U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority fined Starling Bank, Britain’s first digital bank, nearly 29 million pounds (U.S. $38.5 million) for repeated failures related to onboarding high-risk customers.
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News BriefWells Fargo agrees with OCC to shore up BSA/AML, sanctions program deficiencies
The Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ordered Wells Fargo to make “comprehensive corrective actions” to its Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering and U.S. sanctions programs, along with receive permission from the OCC to offer new products and services or enter new geographic markets with “medium or high” ...
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PremiumReport: 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.
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News BriefFed orders Customers Bank to improve AML, sanctions compliance
Pennsylvania-based Customers Bancorp avoided a fine but was ordered to revamp and strengthen its anti-money laundering, sanctions, and Bank Secrecy Act compliance programs after finding “significant deficiencies,” the Federal Reserve Board announced.
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PremiumQ&A: Paxful CCO on ramping up compliance after BSA failures
Manfred Bekeris, chief compliance officer at cypto peer-to-peer network Paxful, sat down with Compliance Week to talk about joining the company shortly before its former chief operating officer and co-founder pled guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act.
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News BriefWells Fargo discloses AML, sanctions programs under investigation
Wells Fargo disclosed in a public filing its anti-money laundering and sanctions programs are under investigation, adding to the already long list of compliance issues plaguing the bank.
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News BriefOFAC 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.