The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a reminder to industry last week that it will retire its public-facing file transfer protocol (FTP) server later this year to comply with updated Treasury Department security policies (see 2306090037). OFAC said many people use the server -- which will be retired "on or about" June 10 -- to automate their sanctions list data downloads.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week sanctioned two companies for “advancing Russia’s malign activities” in the Central African Republic, including by providing “material and financial support” to Wagner Group, the sanctioned Russian private military. The designations target CAR-based Bois Rouge SARLU, also known as Wood International Group SARLU, and Russia-based Limited Liability Company Broker Expert.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week removed Dominican businessman Angel Rondon Rijo from its Specially Designated Nationals List after Rondon applied to be delisted, his attorney Erich Ferrari, whose firm represented Rondon, said on Linkedin. Rondon was originally sanctioned in 2017 after OFAC said he funneled money to government officials in the Dominican Republic to help secure a contract for a Brazilian construction company.
The U.S. this week sanctioned two ship owners in Hong Kong and the Marshall Islands, along with their two vessels, for helping to ship Iranian “commodities” on behalf of sanctioned Houthi financial facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal. The designations target Hongkong Unitop Group Ltd., Reneez Shipping Limited and their ships, the Panama-flagged Eternal Fortune and the Palau-flagged Reneez, respectively.
President Joe Biden extended a national emergency that authorizes certain sanctions against Venezuela, the White House said March 5. The emergency was extended for one year.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned two people and five entities behind commercial spyware used for human rights abuses and “mass surveillance campaigns.” The designations include the founder of the Intellexa Consortium, which OFAC said developed commercial spyware known as Predator and that is used to target government officials, journalists and others.
The U.S. renewed a national emergency that authorizes certain sanctions on people and entities that “undermine democratic processes” in Ukraine, the White House said March 4. The emergency will continue for one year beyond March 6.
Canada on March 3 sanctioned six Russian officials connected to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a prison last month. All six are senior officials of Russia’s “prosecution, judicial and correctional services who were involved in the violation of Mr. Navalny’s human rights, his cruel punishment and ultimately, his death,” Canada said. The designations target Vadim Konstantinovich Kalinin, Alexandr Vladimirovich Varapaev, Igor Borisovich Rakitin, Marina Andreyevna Bobek, Yekaterina Sergeyevna Frolova, Kirill Sergeevich Nikiforov.
The Financial Action Task Force recently updated its list of jurisdictions with “deficiencies” in combating terrorism financing, weapons proliferation and other sanctions-related issues, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said Feb. 29. The FATF added Kenya and Namibia to its list of "Jurisdictions Under Increased Monitoring" and removed Barbados, Gibraltar, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates from that list. The FATF’s list of "High-Risk Jurisdictions Subject to a Call for Action" remains the same and still lists Iran, North Korea and Myanmar.
A final rule released by the Office of Foreign Assets Control last week updated contact information and “grammatical terminology” across some of the agency’s existing regulations. OFAC said the changes “reflect current office names and email addresses,” and make other revisions. The rule is effective March 5.