First and foremost, I wish you all a happy new year. Second, I would like to thank you all for your continued support throughout 2024. The audience for “last week’s major development in sanctions” newsletter exponentially in 2024. If you find this newsletter useful, feel free to share it with those who might also benefit from it. (Link for subscription to the newsletter) Third, I was not able to write the weekly updates for the past couple of weeks since I was traveling extensively for different sanctions-related engagements but to keep you updated on major developments during this period, I put together a separate post (here) on the major developments of the last quarter of 2024.
Monday, December 30
France imposed asset-freezing sanctions on two individuals under the country's autonomous counter-terrorism sanctions regime. (Here)
Tuesday, December 31
OFAC announced a $22,172 settlement with SkyGeek Logistics, Inc. SkyGeek, a U.S. person, attempted to pay two SDNs and shipped items to one of them. The main takeaway from this enforcement actions was that the best time to screen one’s counterparty is before every transactions to ensure a counterparty, who was not once on the SDN list, has not been added to the SDN list since the first transaction. (Here)
OFAC imposed blocking sanctions on one individual and two entities for attempting to interfere with the U.S. 2024 elections. (Here, the Department of the Treasury's press release, and the Department of State's press release)
OFAC imposed blocking sanctions on a Russian judge who was involved in the arbitrary detention of Moscow city councilor and human rights defender, Alexei Gorinov. (Here, the Department of the Treasury's press release, and the Department of State's press release)
Wednesday, January 1
There was no major sanctions-related development on this day.
Thursday, January 2
BIS issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking public comment to inform the potential development of a rule to secure and safeguard the information and communication technology and services supply chain for drones. (Press release, and Federal Register’s ANPRM)
BIS published its annual Year in Review, which include several enforcement actions from the last year along with a wide range of actions BIS's Export Enforcement took over the course of 2024. (Here)
Friday, January 3
OFAC imposed its first blocking sanctions in 2025 against a Beijing-based cybersecurity company, for its role in multiple computer intrusion incidents against U.S. victims. (Here, the Department of the Treasury's press release, and the Department of State's press release)
Recommendation for the week
This week, I would like to recommend FT’s article on how Assad moved 250 million dollars to Russia in a two-year period. (Here)
Comments