The Office of Foreign Assets Control states that Heritage Turbines, Inc., Hyannis, MA has remitted $4,500 to settle an alleged violation of the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR Part 538, occurring on or about November 21, 2007. OFAC alleged that Heritage attempted to ship two fuel nozzle kits to Sudan without an OFAC license. The fuel nozzle kits were valued at a total of $2,000. The settlement amount reflects OFAC’s consideration of the following General Factors under OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines: Heritage had no history of sanctions violations and cooperated with OFAC’s investigation of this matter.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control reports that Société Générale New York Branch, New York, NY (SGNY) has remitted $111,359 to settle allegations of violations of the Iranian Transactions Regulations, 31 CFR Part 560 occurring on or about December 27, 2006, and on or about May 9, 2007. OFAC alleged that SGNY, as the issuing bank of two letters of credit between two non-sanctioned parties, processed two payments under those letters of credit involving the shipment of cargo transported aboard vessels owned and/or managed by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines of Tehran, Iran, an Iranian entity.
The Office of Foreign Assets Controls reports that CMA CGM (America) LLC (CCA), Norfolk, VA, has remitted $374,400 to settle allegations of violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 CFR Part 515, the Iranian Transactions Regulations, 31 CFR Part 560, and the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR Part 538, occurring between approximately December 2004 and April 2008. OFAC alleged that CCA facilitated the exportation of goods from foreign ports to Sudan on at least two occasions and, in 28 separate transactions, accepted payments for shipping services provided by its foreign parent company, CMA CGM, or its foreign affiliates, in connection with shipments between third countries and Cuba, Iran, or Sudan.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has updated its Specially Designated Nationals list to add three Indonesians, an Afghani, and a Palestinian to the list. The assets of Muhammad Jibril Abdul Rahman, Abdul Rahim Ba'asyir, Mumtaz Dughmush, Umar Patek, and Sangeen Zadran are now blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has blocked four entities whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13581of July 24, 2011, "Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations." The four blocked entities are (1) The Brothers' Circle (a.k.a. Moscow Center; f.k.a. Family of Eleven; f.k.a. The Twenty); (2) Camorra of Naples and Campania, Italy; (3) Yakuza (a.k.a. Boryokudan; a.k.a. Gokudo) of Japan; and (4) Los Zetas of Mexico. As a result, U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with designees and any assets they have under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen. OFAC has also updated its Specially Designated Nationals list to include these designations.
On August 11, 2011, the State Department announced additional, new economic sanctions against four major Belarusian state-owned enterprises: (1) the Belshina tire factory; (2) Grodno Azot, which manufactures fertilizer; (3) Grodno Khimvolokno, a fiber manufacturer; and (4) Naftan, a major oil refinery. These four entities have been determined to be owned or controlled by the Belneftekhim conglomerate, an entity already designated under Executive Order 13405. The intent to levy additional sanctions was announced by President Obama on May 27 to respond to the continued incarceration of political prisoners and crackdown on political activists, journalists and civil society representatives.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control announced on August 10, 2011 that it was adding the Commercial Bank of Syria, Damascus Branch, and the Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank on Makdessi Street, Beirut, Lebanon, to its list of Specially Designated Nationals. It has also amended its listing for the Bank Melli Iran in various locations.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is publishing the names of seven individuals and nine entities whose property and interests in property have been unblocked pursuant to Executive Order 12978, "Blocking Assets and Prohibiting Transactions with Significant Narcotics Traffickers," effective August 3, 2011.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated of Muhammad Hamsho, pursuant to Executive Orders 13573 and 13572, for providing services in support of, and for acting for or on behalf of Syrian President Bashar al-Asad and President Asad’s brother Mahir al-Asad. Hamsho International Group, a Syrian holding company, was also designated for being controlled by Muhammad Hamsho. As a result, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in commercial or financial transactions with the designees and any assets they may hold subject to U.S. jurisdiction are frozen. OFAC has also updated its Specially Designated Nationals list to include these designations.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a frequently asked questions document to provide guidance to the public regarding making donations toward or undertaking the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Somalia.