The New Cold War: Risk, Sanctions, Compliance Episode 22: "Focus on Iran: Protests, Sanctions and Oil"
EMBARGOED! Episode 43: Russia and Iran and China, Oh My!
Washington Post Journalist Jason Rezaian on His Iranian Imprisonment
Nota Bene Episode 64: U.S. Check In: Prescription Drugs, USMCA, Privacy, Impeachment and Iran with Elizabeth Frazee and Jonathan Meyer
On July 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) announced a settlement agreement with Interactive Brokers LLC (“Interactive Brokers”) violations of multiple U.S. sanctions...more
This is the final in our 2025 Year in Preview series examining important trends in white collar law and investigations in the coming year. Throughout 2024, enforcement of international trade laws continued to gather pace...more
Córdoba Music Group LLC (Córdoba), a manufacturer of musical instruments based in California, has agreed to pay $41,591 to settle its civil liability for violations of sanctions on Iran. On nine occasions, Córdoba shipped...more
C.H. Robinson International Inc. (CHR), a Minnesota-based global transportation and logistics company, has agreed to pay $257,690 to settle civil liability for 82 apparent violations of sanctions against Iran and Cuba...more
Despite a relatively slow year in OFAC sanctions enforcement, OFAC closed 2024 with a string of settlements in five cases, including its second in 2024 against an individual defendant. While OFAC had a slow year, DOJ...more
In one of the more notable enforcement actions of 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) recently imposed a $1,104,408 civil penalty on a U.S. person for 75 separate violations...more
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) recently settled with American Life Insurance Company (“ALICO”), a Delaware-based subsidiary of MetLife, Inc., for $178,421, addressing apparent...more
On October 22, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that Türkiye Halk Bankası A.Ş. (“Halkbank”), owned by the Republic of Turkey, can be prosecuted for allegedly helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions and...more
Foreign companies with U.S. operations are struggling to navigate the landscape of sanctions compliance. OFAC has expressed its concern that foreign companies need to deploy U.S. based expertise and resources to ensure...more
The measure also harmonizes Russia sanctions rules with allies, and intensifies penalties against Iran - The National Security Act, 2024 (Pub. L No 118-50) was enacted on April 24, 2024. In addition to the Act’s provisions...more
OFAC is capable of extending a long-arm of enforcement, reaching sometimes non-U.S. companies that may “cause” another company to violate U.S. Sanctions laws. If you need to find an example of this long reach, look no...more
February saw a continuing focus on Russia. First, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in conjunction with the State Department, sanctioned over 500 individuals and entities – the “largest number...more
When it comes to OFAC sanctions violations, honesty is the best policy. Promptly and voluntarily disclosing violations upon their discovery can pay serious dividends. ...more
Within the trade bar there is cautiousness, curiosity and skepticism at the numerous pronouncements signaling greater enforcement of export controls and sanctions by the Bureau of Industry and Security, the Office of Foreign...more
On October 27, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied a petition for a panel rehearing en banc in a False Claims Act (FCA) suit that was dismissed in 2020. The whistleblower suit, filed in 2019, alleged...more
Emigrant Bank (“Emigrant”), a U.S.-based financial institution that bills itself as the oldest bank in New York City, is the latest sanctions violator to be swept up in OFAC’s ongoing enforcement push. On September 21, OFAC...more
The past few weeks have not been kind to 3M. The company recently settled with the SEC for $6.5 million to resolve alleged FCPA violations related to its Chinese subsidiary’s dealings with Chinese state-owned healthcare...more
The Justice Department has touted the upcoming wave of corporate prosecutions for criminal sanctions violation as the era of “The New FCPA.” DOJ’s reference is intended to communicate a strong message – companies are going to...more
Construction Specialties, Inc. (“CSI”), a U.S. company specializing in the sale of building materials, agreed to pay $660,594 to settle its liability for three violations of OFAC’s sanctions on Iran. CSI’s illegal conduct...more
July saw two noteworthy Russia enforcement actions. A Russian national was arrested in Estonia and extradited to the United States after being charged with conspiring to procure U.S.-origin technologies and ammunition on...more
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on July 26, 2023, issued a Tri-Seal Compliance Note...more
Over an eight-year period ending in 2018, Murad, a U.S. cosmetics company, illegally exported goods and services to Iran in 62 separate transactions worth approximately $11 million. Murad was acquired by Unilever United...more
The U.S Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently announced settlements with a California-based cosmetics company and a former senior company executive to resolve potential civil liability...more
You are reading the March 2023 edition of the Bass, Berry & Sims Enforcement Roundup, where we bring notable enforcement actions, policy changes, interesting news articles, and a bit of our insight to your inbox. March saw...more
Uphold is a California-based money service business. Uphold agreed to pay OFAC $72,230 to resolve multiple sanctions program violations....more