The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control took a number of significant sanctions actions over the last week across multiple programs:
Russia-related Sanctions
- U.S. Takes Coordinated Actions Against Russian Virtual Currency Exchanges and Cybercrime Facilitator: The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network on Sept. 26 identified PM2BTC—a Russian virtual currency exchanger associated with Russian individual Sergey Sergeevich Ivanov—as being of “primary money laundering concern” in connection with Russian illicit finance. Concurrently, the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Ivanov and Cryptex—a virtual currency exchange registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and operating in Russia. The FinCEN and OFAC actions are issued in conjunction with actions by other U.S. government agencies and international law enforcement partners to hold accountable Ivanov and the associated virtual currency services. OFAC’s action prohibits transactions with the designees and freezes any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction. Read more. Read the order.
- OFAC Issues new Russia-related FAQs: OFAC issued three new, Russia-related Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ 1193, FAQ 1194, and FAQ 1195. The FAQs answer questions on a U.S. company with a subsidiary in Russia and what services are allowed to employees or contractors located in Russia with regards to services prohibited by the Information Technology (IT) and Software Services Determination. Read more.
Iran-related Sanctions
- Treasury Sanctions Iranian Regime Agents Attempting to Interfere in U.S. Elections: OFAC on Sept. 27 designated seven individuals as part of a coordinated U.S. government response to Iran’s operations that sought to influence or interfere in the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections. OFAC designated six employees and executives of Emennet Pasargad, an Iranian cybersecurity company formerly known as Net Peygard Samavat Company, which attempted to interfere in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. OFAC designated Ali Mahdavian, Fatemeh Sadeghi, Elaheh Yazdi, Sayyed Mehdi Rahimi Hajjiabadi, Mohammad Hosein Abdolrahimi, and Rahmatollah Askarizadeh. A seventh individual, Masoud Jalili was designated for his role in compromising several accounts of officials and advisors to a 2024 presidential campaign and leaked stolen data to members of the media and other persons to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Read more.
Terrorism-related Sanctions
- OFAC Sanctions Networks Supporting IRGC-QF and Hizballah: OFAC on Sept. 25 sanctioned more than a dozen entities and vessels for their involvement in the shipment of Iranian crude oil and liquid petroleum gas to Syria and East Asia on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and Hizballah. Among the vessels sanctioned are four ships associated with the fleet of illicit shipping Syrian magnate, Abdul Jalil Mallah and his brother, Luay al-Mallah. Since Abdul Jalil’s 2021 designation for his support to the network of IRGC-QF-backed Houthi financial official Sa’id al-Jamal, Luay al-Mallah has continued to use their shipping empire to support Iran’s malign activities and those of its proxies. Luay al-Mallah is being designated in this action. Read more.
Corruption and Human Rights Abuse Designations
- OFAC Sanctions Former Haitian Legislator and Gang Leader: OFAC on Sept. 25 sanctioned a former member of Haiti’s parliament, Prophane Victor, for his role in forming, supporting, and arming gangs and their members that have committed serious human rights abuse in Haiti. OFAC also designated Luckson Elan, the current leader of the Gran Grif gang, for his involvement in serious human rights abuse related to gang activity in Haiti. The Gran Grif is responsible for serious human rights abuse including kidnapping, murder, beating, and raping of women and children, as well as looting, destruction, extortion, hijacking, and stealing crops and livestock. Read more.
Illicit Drug-related Sanctions
- OFAC Sanctions Colombian Individuals and Mexican Businesses: OFAC on Sept. 24 sanctioned five Colombian nationals and two Mexico-based businesses pursuant to Executive Order 14059, “Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade.” The sanctioned Colombian individuals are leaders within Colombia’s Clan del Golfo (CDG)—also known as Los Urabeños—which is one of the country’s largest drug trafficking organizations and a key contributor to human smuggling through the Darién Gap. The companies sanctioned are located in Mexico and owned by designated Sinaloa Cartel fentanyl traffickers. The Sinaloa Cartel is responsible for a significant portion of the illicit fentanyl and other deadly drugs trafficked into the United States. Read more.
