The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned three people, 14 entities and six vessels for their involvement in a sanctions evasion network in Venezuela’s oil sector, OFAC said Jan. 19. The designations include Malta-based Elemento and Switzerland-based Swissoil, both of which are involved in buying, shipping and selling Venezuelan oil. OFAC also sanctioned Francisco Javier D’Agostino Casado, Alessandro Bazzoni and Philipp Paul Vartan Apikian for helping to coordinate the oil purchases. The agency also sanctioned a range of entities controlled by Bazzoni, D’Agostino and Elemento and ships that transported the oil.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the Cuban Ministry of Interior and Minister of Interior Lazaro Alberto Alvarez Casas for human rights violations, OFAC said Jan. 15. OFAC said the ministry is responsible for Cuba’s internal security and for arresting “persons of interest” to the ministry, including Cuban dissidents and activists, and employing torture tactics.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Jan. 15 issued regulations to implement the Hong Kong sanctions authorities outlined in President Donald Trump’s July executive order that ended preferential treatment for the region (see 2007150019). The regulations, which were published in a final rule and took effect Jan. 15, describe which activities are blocked and outline penalties, reporting requirements, record-keeping requirements and more. OFAC said it plans to add to the final rule “with a more comprehensive set of regulations, which may include additional interpretive and definitional guidance and additional general licenses and statements of licensing policy.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Jan. 14 issued a new general license and several new frequently asked questions to provide guidance on President Donald Trump’s November executive order to ban U.S. investment in Chinese military companies (see 2011130026). General License No. 2 authorizes certain transactions and activities involving publicly traded securities of certain entities on OFAC’s Chinese military companies list (see 2012290017). Transactions with companies added to OFAC’s list after 12:01 a.m. EST Jan. 14 are authorized through 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on the date that is 365 days after the date the entity was added to OFAC’s list.
An Indonesian paper product manufacturer settled for more than $1 million after apparent violations of U.S. sanctions against North Korea, the Office of Foreign Assets Control said Jan. 14. OFAC said PT Bukit Muria Jaya (BMJ) exported cigarette paper to North Korea and “directed payments” for those exports to its U.S. dollar bank account at a non-U.S. bank, causing U.S. banks to “clear wire transfers related to these shipments,” which included shipments to a sanctioned North Korean person.
The Bureau of Industry and Security removed certain license restrictions for Sudan (see 2012080003) to reflect the U.S. decision to rescind Sudan’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism (see 2012170015). The final rule, effective Jan. 14, will amend the Export Administration Regulations by removing anti-terrorism controls on exports to Sudan and by removing Sudan from Country Group E:1, which makes the country eligible for a 25% de minimis level, BIS said. Sudan also was added to Country Group B and will be eligible for several new license exceptions.
Jenner & Block hired Rachel Alpert, previously with Latham & Watkins, as a partner, the firm said in a news release. Alpert also previously worked in the State Department Office of the Legal Adviser. Her work “supports organizations in the oil and gas, communications, travel, and other industries on legal issues involving export controls and US sanctions laws and regulations under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations,” Jenner & Block said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned three people and 16 entities controlled by Iran’s supreme leader, OFAC said Jan. 13. The entities allow Iran’s “elite to sustain a corrupt system of ownership over large parts of Iran’s economy,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The sanctions target Iran’s Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order (EIKO), Astan Quds Razavi (AQR) and their subsidiaries, including companies in the energy, engineering and drilling sectors. Also sanctioned are EIKO leader Mohammad Mokhber, AQR leader Ahmad Marvi and Abd al-Aziz Malluh Mirjirash al-Muhammadawi, who has ties to the Islamic State group.
The State Department sanctioned five al-Qaida leaders and added them to the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals List, the agency said Jan. 12. The sanctions target Iran-based Muhammad Abbatay and Sultan Yusuf Hasan al-'Arif. Also sanctioned were the leaders of the al-Qaida Kurdish Battalions, an al-Qaida-linked group that operates on the Iran-Iraq border: Isma’il Fu’ad Rasul Ahmed, Fuad Ahmad Nuri Ali al-Shakhan and Niamat Hama Rahim Hama Sharif.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a general license authorizing certain transactions involving securities of companies affiliated with the Chinese military. General License No. 1, issued Jan. 8, authorizes certain transactions involving publicly traded securities with an entity with a name that “closely” matches the name of a company identified in President Donald Trump’s November executive order (see 2011130026) but that has not yet been identified on OFAC’s Chinese military companies list (see 2012290017). The authorization also applies to transactions involving “any securities that are derivative of” those publicly traded securities or “designed to provide investment exposure to such securities.” The transactions are authorized through 9:30 a.m. EST Jan. 28.