A former board member of a Russian state-owned bank asked a federal court to order the U.S. to remove her from a U.S. sanctions list, saying there is “no factual basis” that supports her listing. In a complaint recently filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Elena Titova, a dual Russian and U.K. citizen, said she resigned from her position eight days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year but was still added to the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals List even though she hasn’t been designated by any “other nation in the world.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned four companies and one person connected to the sanctioned Russian military group PMC Wagner (Wagner Group) and its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin. The designations target Central African Republic-based Midas Resources SARLU and Diamville SAU, United Arab Emirates-based Industrial Resources General Trading and Russia-based Limited Liability Company DM, which are involved in “illicit gold dealings” to help fund the Wagner Group. OFAC also sanctioned Andrey Nikolayevich Ivanov, a Wagner executive who has worked closely with Prigozhin’s entity, Africa Politology, and senior Malian government officials on weapons deals and other activities in Mali.
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The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Myanmar’s Ministry of Defense and two financial institutions that help facilitate foreign currency exchanges within the country and transactions between the military and foreign markets. OFAC said state-owned Myanma Foreign Trade Bank and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank allow the country’s defense ministry to buy arms and “other materials.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned two South Sudan individuals who have “abused their positions of political and military authority to carry out acts of sexual violence” against the country’s citizens. The designations target James Nando, a major general in the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces, and Alfred Futuyo, Western Equatoria governor involved with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition.
A Latvia-based bank reached a $3.4 million settlement with the Office of Foreign Assets Control to resolve allegations it violated U.S. sanctions relating to Crimea, OFAC said June 20. Swedbank Latvia AS, a subsidiary of Sweden-based Swedbank AB, allowed a customer to use its e-banking platform from an internet protocol address in Crimea to send payments to persons in Crimea through U.S. correspondent banks, OFAC said, which resulted in 386 violations of U.S. sanctions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Mexico-based Hernandez Salas transnational criminal organization, a human smuggling group, and several of its members and affiliated entities. The June 16 designations target Mexican national Ofelia Hernandez Salas, the organization’s leader, and Mexican nationals Raul Saucedo Huipio, Jesus Gerardo Chavez Tamayo, Fatima Del Rocio Maldonado Lopez and Federico Hernandez Sanchez for working with the organization. OFAC also sanctioned Mexican entities Hotel Plaza and Hotel Las Torres to “conduct human smuggling activities.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week updated a Russia-related entry on its Specially Designated Nationals List. The entry is Hong Kong-based Gold Miles Limited, which was sanctioned in May as part of the Biden administration’s rollout of more than 300 new designations targeting supporters of Russia (see 2305190059). Gold Miles was designated for being owned by Irish national John Desmond Hanafin, founder of a company that OFAC said has helped move Russian money into the United Arab Emirates to protect it from Western sanctions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned two North Korean nationals involved in procuring equipment and materials for the country’s ballistic missile program. OFAC said Choe Chol Min, based in Beijing, works with North Korean weapons trading officials, Chinese nationals and others to purchase “a range of items” used to produce missiles. His wife, Choe Un Jong, also based in Beijing, is “officially assigned” to the North Korean Embassy in China and helped coordinate an order for dual-use bearings that are used in the missiles.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week renewed three General Licenses, which were scheduled to expire June 17, that expand and clarify humanitarian-related exemptions for shipments and activities related to Syria, Iran and Venezuela (see 2106180015 and 2206100030). OFAC also updated a guidance on providing humanitarian aid to combat COVID-19.