The U.K. this week sanctioned a British band and its label for counterterrorism reasons after they were found guilty of terrorism-related charges. The country sanctioned the musical group Embers of an Empire and its production company, Rampage Productions, for "promoting and encouraging terrorism via its dissemination of music whose content promotes and encourages terrorism." The U.K. also said they have "made funds available" to parties "involved in terrorism."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned five people and one entity for helping North Korea's government generate revenue for its weapons and missile programs, including through weapons sales to the Myanmar military.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Indian nationals Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh for working with narcotics traffickers to supply "hundreds of thousands" of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and other illegal drugs to people in the U.S. OFAC also sanctioned Shaikh's company, KS International Traders, which the agency said is a "purported online pharmacy used in furtherance of Shaikh’s criminal activities." Both Shaikh and Sayyed were indicted on narcotics-related charges by DOJ last year.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a final rule this week to officially change the heading of the Syria-Related Sanctions Regulations to the "Promoting Accountability for Assad and Regional Stabilization Sanctions Regulations." It also revises those regulations to reflect the administration's easing of certain Syria-related sanctions earlier this year (see 2507010012 and 2506300055). The changes take effect Sept. 25.
The U.K. on Sept. 23 amended the entry of Yuri Denisov on its Russia sanctions list. Denisov's new listing says the individual "has been involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the" Russian government by acting as a director of the Public Joint Stock Company Moscow Exchange Group, which operates in the financial services sector.
The State Department labeled Barrio 18, a Latin American rival gang to MS-13, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and Foreign Terrorist Organization, the agency said in notices released Sept. 23. The Office of Foreign Assets Control added Barrio 18 to its Specially Designated Nationals List to reflect the move.
The Council of the European Union on Sept. 22 extended its sanctions regime on Sudan for another year to Oct. 10, 2026. The sanctions cover 10 people and eight entities and were imposed to target "those responsible for destabilising Sudan and obstructing its political transition."
The U.K. on Sept. 22 removed Tatiana Evtushenkova -- director of the venture capital firm Redline Capital U.K. and member of the board of directors for Redline Capital Management -- from its Russia sanctions list. The U.K. originally sanctioned Evtushenkova for her ties to Russian businessman Vladimir Evtushenkov. The country didn't provide a reason for the delisting.
The Treasury Department is seeking public comments on how it should implement the Genius Act, which became law in July and is partly meant to prevent criminals, terror groups and others from using stablecoins to launder money, evade sanctions or finance terrorism. The agency is looking for feedback on potential regulations "that may be promulgated by Treasury," including around "regulatory clarity, prohibitions on certain issuances and marketing, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions obligations," and more.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned the Lex Instituto de Estudos Juridicos LTDA, a holding company for Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who was sanctioned earlier this year for ordering "arbitrary" pretrial detentions and suppressing freedom of expression (see 2507300031). OFAC said Moraes used the company for ownership of his residence and other residential properties. The agency also sanctioned Moraes' wife, Viviane Barci de Moraes, who served as the head of the company. They were both designated under Global Magnitsky-related human rights authorities.