The Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated Obed Christian Sepulveda Portillo for the trafficking of high-caliber firearms from the U.S. to Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful drug organizations, according to a July 11 news release.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week revised a Belarus-related entry on its Specially Designated Nationals List. The change updates identifying information for Belarusian Oil Trade House, which was sanctioned in 2008.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week renewed a Venezuela-related license that authorizes certain transactions related to exports or reexports of liquefied petroleum gas to Venezuela (see 2107120054). General License No. 40A, which replaces General License No 40, is valid through 12:01 a.m. EDT July 12, 2023. The license was scheduled to expire July 8.
Rachel Fiorill, former enforcement section chief at the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, joined Morrison Foerster as of counsel in the Washington, D.C., office, the firm announced. Fiorill most recently worked at Paul Weiss, where she advised clients on "economic sanctions, Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering," anti-corruption and export control proceedings. While at OFAC, Fiorill led investigations of hundreds of enforcement actions, serving as coordinator for the Enforcement Division's Ukraine, Russia and Syria-related investigations, Morrison Foerster said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned an international network that used a network of front companies to cover the delivery and sale of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil and petrochemical products from Iranian companies to East Asia, according to a July 6 press release. Two individuals, 13 entities, and two vessels were added to the Specially Designated Nationals list, according to OFAC's July 6 notice. The action follows an earlier action by OFAC on June 16, which designated members of an international sanctions-evasion network supporting Iranian petrochemical sales (see 2206160030). “While the U.S. is committed to achieving an agreement with Iran that seeks a mutual return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, we will continue to use all our authorities to enforce sanctions on the sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals,” Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week issued a reminder to industry to file annual reports on blocked property by Sept. 30. The notice applies to blocked property held as of June 30. OFAC provided filing forms and guidance on filing the reports.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week amended the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations to implement a Sept. 9, 2019, counterterrorism executive order. The amendments, which take effect July 1, implement the provisions of executive order 13886, “Modernizing Sanctions To Combat Terrorism” that amended sections 1(a) and 5 of Executive Order 13224. The change blocks all property and interests in property that are in the U.S. of persons listed in the amended Annex to E.O. 13224, foreign persons determined by the secretary of state to have committed or have attempted to commit acts of terrorism. It also makes certain "technical and conforming changes" to the regulations.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on June 17 removed a Venezuelan-related entry from its Specially Designated Nationals List. The agency removed Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, who was designated in 2017 for being the former national treasurer and former vice president of finance for Petroleos de Venezuela, the country’s state-run energy company. OFAC didn’t immediately release more information on the delisting.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on June 17 sanctioned Empresa Nicaraguense de Minas (ENIMINAS), Nicaragua’s state-owned mining company, and Ruy Lopez Delgado, the president of its board of directors. OFAC said the government has used ENIMINAS to solidify its control over Nicaragua’s mining sector and enrich government officials.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned a network of Iranian petrochemical producers, as well as front companies in China and the United Arab Emirates. The front companies support Triliance and PCC, which broker sales of Iranian petrochemicals to China and East Asia, circumventing sanctions, OFAC said in a June 16 press release. The agency sanctioned two people and nine entities.