The Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the following sanctions action last week.
SDN List Updates
OFAC issues corrections to sanctions list entries: On Aug. 18, OFAC made administrative updates to several entries on its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List. These changes do not reflect new sanctions, but rather corrections to existing listings to improve accuracy. Read more.
Russia-related Sanctions
OFAC issues Russia-related general license for Alaska summit: On Aug. 13, OFAC issued General License 125, temporarily authorizing transactions related to official meetings between the U.S. and Russian governments in Anchorage, Alaska. The license permits payments for logistical support and is valid through Aug. 20. Read more.
Congo-related Sanctions
OFAC sanctions entities fueling violence and illicit trade in Eastern DRC: On Aug. 12, OFAC sanctioned four entities linked to armed group violence and the illicit sale of critical minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The designated entities are Coalition des Patriotes Résistants Congolais-Force de Frappe (PARECO-FF) (armed group), Cooperative des Artisanaux Miniers du Congo (CDMC) (mineral cooperative) and East Rise Corporation Limited and Star Dragon Corporation Limited (Hong Kong-based exporters).
These entities are tied to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC, driven by territorial control by OFAC-sanctioned M23 armed group and reprisal attacks by DRC-aligned militias. Read more.
Foreign Terrorist Organization Sanctions
OFAC sanctions two Mexican cartels and key operatives: On Aug. 14, OFAC sanctioned Carteles Unidos (United Cartels) and Los Viagras, along with seven individuals tied to terrorism, drug trafficking, and extortion in Mexico’s agricultural sector.
The designated individuals are Juan Jose Farias Alvarez (“El Abuelo”), Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez (“Wicho”), Alfonso Fernandez Magallon (“Poncho”), Edgar Valeriano Orozco Cabadas (“El Kamoni”), Nicolas Sierra Santana (“El Gordo”), Heladio Cisneros Flores (“La Sirena”) and Alejandro Sepulveda Arellano (“El Botox”).
This action, taken under counternarcotics and counterterrorism authorities, reinforces U.S. efforts to dismantle transnational criminal organizations. Read more.
State Department designates BLA and alias as FTO: On Aug. 11, the Department of State designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The Majeed Brigade was also added as an alias under BLA’s existing Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation. BLA was designated as an SDGT in 2019 following several terrorist attacks. Since 2019, BLA has claimed responsibility for additional attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade. Read more.
Counter-narcotics-related Sanctions
OFAC targets Costa Rican drug and money laundering network: On Aug. 18, OFAC designated four Costa Rican nationals and two entities for their roles in narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
The individuals—Celso Manuel Gamboa Sanchez, Edwin Danney Lopez Vega, Alejandro Antonio James Wilson, and Alejandro Arias Monge—used local businesses to conceal illicit proceeds. The designated entities include Bufete Celso Gamboa & Asociados, a law firm, and Limón Black Star FC, a Costa Rica-based soccer club. Read more.
OFAC sanctions CJNG-linked timeshare fraud network: On Aug. 13, OFAC sanctioned four individuals and 13 companies in Mexico tied to a timeshare fraud scheme led by the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.
The individuals—Julio Cesar Montero Pinzon, Carlos Andres Rivera Varela, Francisco Javier Gudino Haro, and Michael Ibarra Diaz Jr.—and the companies are based in or near Puerto Vallarta, a CJNG stronghold and popular tourist destination. CJNG is increasingly turning to timeshare scams and fuel theft to supplement its drug trafficking revenue. Read more.
Cyber-related Sanctions
OFAC targets crypto exchange supporting cybercrime: On Aug. 14, OFAC re-designated Garantex Europe OU, a cryptocurrency exchange that has processed over $100 million in illicit transactions since 2019, including payments for ransomware actors and cybercriminals.
OFAC also designated: Grinex, Garantex’s successor; three Garantex executives Sergey Mendeleev, Aleksandr Mira Serda, and Pavel Karavatsky; and affiliated companies in Russia and the Kyrgyz Republic. These actions reinforce U.S. efforts to disrupt malicious cyber activity and the financial infrastructure enabling it. Read more.
