On December 12, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of State announced sanctions designating numerous additional Russian individuals and entities who have been determined to be assisting in the war against Ukraine and for efforts to evade U.S. sanctions and export controls on Russia. OFAC also
Sanctions
OFAC and BIS Further Sanction Belarusian and Russian Entities and Individuals
On December 5, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) imposed sanctions on numerous entities and individuals in order to place additional pressure on both Belarus and Russia. The OFAC sanctions focus on Belarus’ “authoritarian regime” and for its…
OFAC Once Again Extends Venezuela General License for Limited Maintenance or Wind-Down of Transactions Involving PdVSA and Certain Entities
On November 16, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela-related General License 8M, extending authorization until May 16, 2024 for certain activities previously authorized under General License 8L. General License 8M authorizes the continuation of transactions and activities “ordinarily incident and necessary to the limited maintenance of…
OFAC Issues Guidance for Provision of Humanitarian Aid to the Palestinian People
On November 14, 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued an important guidance document to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza, while also maintaining strict controls to prevent funds from reaching Hamas. OFAC clarified that “U.S. sanctions do not stand in the…
OFAC, State and BIS Announce Further Sanctions on Companies Supporting Russia’s War Efforts
On November 2, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of State, and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced a combined effort to designate and sanction numerous additional Russian individuals and entities who have been determined to be assisting in the war against…
OFAC Prohibits Financial Services with MOGE and Imposes Additional Sanctions on Persons and Entities Connected to Burma’s Military
On October 31, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a new directive prohibiting U.S. persons from providing certain financial services to Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) and designated certain entities and individuals for connections to the Burma’s military regime.
Under Directive 1, issued pursuant to Executive…
OFAC Again Extends Russia-Related General License No. 8 Regarding Transactions Related to Energy
On October 25, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued amended Russia-related General License No. 8H once again extending the authorization to conduct transactions involving Vnesheconombank, Bank Financial Corporation Otkritie, Sovcombank, Sberbank, VTB Bank, Alfa-Bank, Rosbank, Bank Zenit, Bank Saint-Petersburg, and the Central Bank of Russia that are related…
OFAC Loosens Venezuela Sanctions, Authorizes Transactions Involving Oil and Gas, State-Owned Gold Mining Company, and Certain Debt and Equity of Venezuela and PdVSA
- For a period of six months, OFAC permits a wide range of transactions tied to Venezuela’s oil and gas sector, including new investments and financial dealings with specific Venezuelan banks.
- OFAC allows all forms of transactions with Minerven, the Venezuelan state-owned gold mining company, nullifying prior sanctions solely in this sector.
- OFAC lifted
OFAC Sanctions Entities for Violations of Russian Oil Price Cap and Issues Price Cap Coalition Advisory
On October 12, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two entities and identified as blocked property two vessels that used Price Cap Coalition service providers while carrying Russian crude oil above the Coalition-agreed price cap. See here for additional identifying information on these entities.
The United States is…
BIS Continues to Focus on and Sanction Entities Providing Support to Russia’s Military and Defense Industries
On October 6, 2023, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added 49 entities from China, Estonia, Finland, Germany, India, Turkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom to the Entity List after determining that these companies were “acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United…
