The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week sanctioned a network of people, entities and ships for transporting and buying billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil, some of which has benefited Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force. OFAC said some of companies are run by Iraqi businessman Salim Ahmed Said, who the agency said smuggles Iranian oil disguised as Iraqi oil.
The U.S. last week sanctioned seven senior officials and one entity linked to the Hezbollah-controlled and sanctioned financial institution Al-Qard Al-Hassan. The Office of Foreign Assets Control said the officials served in senior management roles for Al-Qard Al-Hassan and have helped it evade U.S. sanctions, allowing Hezbollah to access the "formal financial system."
Key Holding, a Delaware-based logistics company, was fined $608,825 by the Office of Foreign Assets Control to settle allegations that it violated U.S. sanctions on Cuba. OFAC said the company’s Colombian subsidiary illegally managed the logistics for 36 freight shipments from Colombia to Cuba.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, introduced a resolution June 27 urging the use of “targeted economic sanctions” against entities and individuals in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo who are “corrupt, obstructing peace, perpetrating violence, or committing human rights abuses.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control removed sanctions from Gold Miles Ltd., a Hong Kong-based company designated in 2023. The firm was sanctioned for being owned by Ireland national John Desmond Hanafin, owner of Huriya Private FZE LLE, which OFAC sanctioned for helping to move Russian financial assets into the United Arab Emirates. OFAC didn't release more information about the delisting.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Russia-headquartered Aeza Group, a hosting services provider that enables cybercriminal activity, along with several affiliated companies and people. OFAC said Aeza Group is a "bulletproof" hosting services provider that sell access to specialized servers and other infrastructure to help ransomware actors, personal information stealers, and drug vendors evade law enforcement.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on June 30 officially removed sanctions from 518 people and entities with ties to Syria after President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing the easing of both sanctions and certain export restrictions against the country (see 2506300055).
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The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a final rule that adds to its regulations implementing President Donald Trump's February executive order authorizing sanctions against the International Criminal Court (see 2502070022). The rule, effective July 1, incorporates several previously issued general licenses into the regulations. The agency said it plans to issue a "more comprehensive set of regulations" in the future, "which may include additional interpretive guidance and definitions, GLs, and other regulatory provisions."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week renewed a Russia-related general license that authorizes certain civil nuclear energy-related transactions with Russian entities. General License 115B, which replaces 115A, authorizes those transactions with Gazprombank and other financial institutions through 12:01 a.m. EST Dec. 19. The license was scheduled to expire June 30. OFAC also updated several FAQs to reflect the renewal.