On November 12, 2021, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), pursuant to Executive Order 14046, Imposing Sanctions on Certain Persons With Respect to the Humanitarian and Human Rights Crisis in Ethiopia, issued sanctions against four entities and two individuals as part of a new sanctions program in Ethiopia. OFAC issued the  sanctions is in response to humanitarian and human rights...

Mashreqbank, based in Dubai, agreed to pay $100 million to the New York Department of Financial Services, the Federal Reserve, and the Office of Foreign Asset Control for violation of the now-repealed Sudan Sanctions Regulations.  The Sudan Sanctions Regulations were repealed on June 29, 2018. OFAC issued only a Finding of Violation, rather than impose a civil penalty, in light of Mashreqbank’s willingness to agree...

Matt Stankiewicz, Partner at The Volkov Law Group, joins us for a post on sanctions compliance in the cryptocurrency industry. Matt can be contacted at [email protected]. In early October, OFAC released a guidance brochure on sanctions compliance, specifically tailored for the cryptocurrency and virtual assets industry.  For seasoned compliance veterans, it ends up reading like a refresher course for sanctions compliance.  While the guidance was...

Well, we are still waiting for the “big” FCPA enforcement actions.  Do not get me wrong – they are coming.  My suspicion is that they are being held up and calculated with a splash to announce the results of the White House’s Global Anti-Corruption Memorandum focusing on the anti-corruption effort as a national security priority.  The landscape is ready for a splash and DOJ is...

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC)continues to pile up sanctions enforcement actions.  As the Biden Administration slowly takes over the reins of the Department of Treasury, OFAC enforcement is likely to increase.  Companies should expect more and complex sanctions, including anticipated strict sanctions against Russia for election interference.  OFAC’s mission and enforcement profile will increase.  At the same time, individual liability is...

The Biden Administration has a lot on its plate – that is obvious.  Tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and restoring economic growth is one of the most difficult challenges ever facing our country.  Across the government, a new administration poses significant changes in priorities. The Justice Department will be tough on corporate crime and compliance.  With the exception of a failure to prosecute individuals responsible for...