On June 2, 2022, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated and blocked numerous additional Russian and related entities that are “key networks” relied upon by President Vladimir Putin and other Russian elites “to attempt to hide and move money and anonymously make use of luxury assets around the globe.”
OFAC Again Extends Venezuela General License for Limited Maintenance or Wind-Down of Transactions Involving PdVSA and Certain Entities
On May 27, 2022, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela-related General License 8J, extending authorization until December 1 for certain activities previously authorized under General License 8I. General License 8J authorizes the continuation of transactions and activities “ordinarily incident and necessary to the limited maintenance of essential…
OFAC Issues Syria General License Authorizing Certain Activities in Non-Regime Held Areas of Northeast and Northwest Syria
On May 12, 2022, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Syria General License (GL) 22, which authorizes certain transactions, including processing or transfer of funds on behalf of third-country entities, otherwise prohibited under the Syrian Sanctions Regulations (SSR) that are ordinarily incident and necessary to activities in the…
OFAC Issues Russia-Related General Licenses Regarding Certain Banks and Gazprom Germania GmbH
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently issued several Russia-related general licenses under the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 587 (RuHSR). These licenses authorize certain activities which would otherwise be prohibited under OFAC sanctions toward Russia:
GL 26A extends until July 12, 2022 existing authorizations for…
OFAC Issues General License Related to Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights in Russia
On May 5, 2022, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued much anticipated Russia-related general license (GL) 31, “Authorizing Certain Transactions Related to Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights.” GL 31 authorizes certain transactions otherwise prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR Part 587 (“RuHSR”) with respect to intellectual…
OFAC Imposes Additional Sanctions on Russian Telecommunications, Shipping and Defense Companies
On May 8, 2022, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) implemented additional sanctions on several sectors of the Russian economy. OFAC designated three Russian telecommunications companies and placed them on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, noting that they are Russian state-controlled television stations generating revenue for the Russian government. …
OFAC Adds Russian Entities to SDN List and Issues General Licenses for Certain Activities
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added multiple new entities and persons to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List after determining that they were involved in attempts to evade U.S. sanctions put in place as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. OFAC has designated Russian commercial bank PJSC…
President Biden Announces Ban on New Investment on Russia; Sberbank, Alfa-Bank and Other Entities Designated as SDNs
On April 6, 2022, President Joseph Biden issued Executive Order, “Prohibiting New Investment in and Certain Services to the Russian Federation in Response to Continued Russian Federation Aggression” (the “April 6, 2022 EO”) , further expanding sanctions against Russia, including measures to ban new investments in Russia and authorizations to prohibit the provision of…
Aerospace, Marine, and Electronics Industry Sectors in Russia Added to Sanctionable Sectors Under Executive Order 14024; OFAC Adds SDN Designations
On March 31, 2022, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen released a Determination expanding the scope of Section 1(a)(i) of Executive Order 14024 to include aerospace, electronics and marine sectors of the Russian economy as being within the scope of the Executive Order. This Executive Order has been relied upon extensively to implement sanctions against…
OFAC Issues New Russia-Related General Licenses
On March 24, 2022, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued two amended general licenses (GL) and two new GLs involving Russia-related sanctions programs. OFAC has also updated its FAQs 1,023 and 1,024 to reflect the changes in GL 17A.
- General License 6A: GL 6 authorized transactions prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign
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