The first of a two-part series, host Olga Torres sits down with Jim Fuller, former special agent, with the Office of Export Enforcement (“OEE”) within the Bureau of Industry and Security, and Don Pearce, former special agent...more
In this episode, host Olga Torres is joined by David Laufman, former Chief of the Counterintelligence and Export Controls Section, “CES,” at the Department of Justice to discuss high-profile sanctions and export enforcement...more
The Foreign Agents Registration Act, FARA, has been making headlines recently, as Washington seeks to crack down on foreign influence in the United States. But the law has a surprising history, and could be in for some major...more
The debate between free trade and protectionism is alive and well, and perhaps fiercer than ever, in the United States and abroad. In this week’s episode, host Olga Torres sits down with Steve Charnovitz, professor at the...more
This week’s episode discusses the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States "CFIUS," the U.S. interagency body that reviews foreign investment for national security purposes. Host Olga Torres is joined by Albert...more
This week’s episode looks at the U.S. government’s enforcement of laws that combat forced labor in supply chains, including the newly passed Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, as well as the impact of forced labor compliance...more
This week’s episode looks at the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and trade relations between the United States, Mexico, and China. Emilio Arteaga, a partner at Mexican trade law firm Vazquez Tercero & Zepeda based out of Mexico...more
This week’s episode covers the latest issues in cross-border trade between Texas and Mexico. Texas-based Customs Broker Adrian Gonzalez of Global Alliance Solutions helps break down the current state of supply chain...more
Today, June 21, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (“UFLPA”) comes into effect. It is the latest – and perhaps strongest – tool in the belt of U.S. regulatory and enforcement agencies to combat forced labor....more
6/21/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
China ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Due Diligence ,
Forced Labor ,
Goods or Services ,
Human Rights ,
Importers ,
Imports ,
New Regulations ,
Supply Chain ,
Trade Restrictions ,
US Trade Policies ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) ,
Withhold Release Orders (WROs)
This week’s episode discusses the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), which lays out the cybersecurity standards required of government contractors. Guest Dave Grey, Cybersecurity Consultant with Torres Trade...more
We Are Delighted To Announce The Launching Of The Torres Talks Trade Podcast
During the podcast trade lawyers and subject matter expert guests discuss timely topics on trade and national security in an informal and...more
On May 23, 2022, President Joe Biden, when asked whether the United States would get involved militarily if China invaded Taiwan, answered firmly, “Yes. That’s the commitment we made.” As the world watches the war in Ukraine,...more
6/1/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
China ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Export Controls ,
Foreign Policy ,
Foreign Relations ,
Imports ,
Military Conflict ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
SDN List ,
Taiwan ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)
The largest criminal monitorship in U.S. history has ended. On March 22, 2022 a U.S. judge ruled that Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE Corporation had completed the terms of its five-year probation, which began in 2017...more
4/28/2022
/ China ,
Compliance Monitoring ,
Corporate Monitoring ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Embargo ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Export Controls ,
Foreign Policy ,
National Security ,
Regulatory Violations ,
Telecommunications ,
ZTE
As the U.S. and the European Union continue to impose new sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, regulatory authorities continue their pursuit of companies and individuals who violate those sanctions. The...more
4/28/2022
/ Acquisitions ,
Corruption ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Transactions ,
Foreign Policy ,
Military Conflict ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Russia ,
Sanction Violations ,
Ukraine
The U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ") is making it harder on companies that commit corporate crimes. A lot harder.
That’s the message that Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco recently gave attendees at the American Bar...more
1/27/2022
/ Anti-Corruption ,
Compliance ,
Compliance Management Systems ,
Cooperation Agreement ,
Corporate Crimes ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Misconduct ,
Corruption ,
Deferred Prosecution Agreements ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Non-Prosecution Agreements ,
White Collar Crimes
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) has made clear that businesses engaging in certain activities involving virtual currencies are subject to registration,...more
1/26/2022
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
BSA/AML ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Data Breach ,
Financial Crimes ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Financial Transactions ,
FinCEN ,
Hackers ,
Money Laundering ,
Money Services Business ,
Popular ,
Ransomware ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Virtual Currency
Civil and criminal penalties levied against U.S. companies for trade violations are just the beginning of the potential unforeseen costs of doing business in the global marketplace. What cannot be quantified are the countless...more
1/26/2022
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Corruption ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Exports ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Foreign Policy ,
Foreign Relations ,
Imports ,
ITAR ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Sanction Violations ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Trade Relations ,
US Trade Policies ,
White Collar Crimes
View PDF Version of Article In recent years, the U.S. Government (“USG”) has taken numerous actions to target forced labor and other human rights violations, with a significant increase in 2020 and early 2021. These include...more
10/27/2021
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Entity List ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) ,
Forced Labor ,
Human Rights ,
Human Trafficking ,
Imports ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Supply Chain ,
Withhold Release Orders (WROs)
For many years, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) has had the authority to review non-notified transactions – deals which have not been submitted to CFIUS for review and approval – but until...more
On September 21, 2021, in a first-of-it-kind action, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) imposed economic sanctions on SUEX OTC, S.R.O. (“SUEX”), a virtual currency exchange, for...more
10/27/2021
/ Blocked Person ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Transactions ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Ransomware ,
Regulatory Violations ,
SDN List
Olga Torres is the founding partner of Torres Law, International Trade & National Security, a boutique law firm with offices in Dallas, Texas and an appointment-only office in Washington, DC, and a member of the International...more