On October 12, the U.S. Commerce Department, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced that it imposed a civil penalty fine against VTA Telecom Corporation (VTA) for the unauthorized export of controlled commodities to...more
On September 28, the U.S. Commerce Department, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced that it has imposed a civil penalty fine and denial of export privileges against Vorago Technologies (Vorago) for the unauthorized...more
On August 3, 2021, the U.S. State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) issued an order laying out charges and imposing a monetary penalty of $6.6 million on Keysight Technologies, a U.S. technology and...more
8/20/2021
/ China ,
Commodities ,
Consent Agreements ,
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) ,
Enforcement ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
ITAR ,
Penalties ,
Russia ,
Software ,
Technology
On February 1, the U.S. Commerce Department, Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS), announced a settlement (available here) with Princeton University in connection with 37 alleged violations of the Export Administration...more
In recent months, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) have announced several notable penalties for violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The FCPA prohibits...more
1/14/2021
/ Anti-Bribery ,
Bribery ,
Compliance ,
Corruption ,
Criminal Investigations ,
Criminal Penalties ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Deutsche Bank ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Penalties ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Violations
The U.S. government continues to take action in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In so doing, the government has provided insight into those industries and operations deemed to be essential to U.S....more
Despite the sobering news reports on the global spread of COVID-19, companies are continuing to try to conduct operations as (relatively) normally as possible. International business is particularly affected given the...more
• Actions underscore long arm of U.S. sanctions jurisdiction
• Voluntary disclosures and cooperation can lead to significant penalty reductions
• Facilitation of a violation is treated the same as a direct...more
3/5/2020
/ Civil Liability ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Cooperation ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
General Licenses ,
Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations (GTSR) ,
Jurisdiction ,
Myanmar ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Sanction Violations ,
SDN List ,
Shipping ,
Telecommunications ,
Voluntary Disclosure
In case you missed it, we ended 2019 with a webinar on current topics in U.S. economic sanctions. Below are several key points from the webinar:
Types of sanctions vary. Broad country-based sanctions prohibit transactions...more
Report on Supply Chain Compliance 3, no. 2 (January 23, 2020) -
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the primary U.S. government agency that administers U.S. economic sanctions, was busy...more
1/24/2020
/ Aircraft Sales ,
Airlines ,
Apple ,
Aviation Contracts ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Compliance ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Sanctions Regulations (FNKSR) ,
Foreign Suppliers ,
Non-US Entities ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Penalties ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Sanction Violations ,
Screening Procedures ,
SDN List ,
Settlement ,
Slovenia ,
Software ,
Sudan ,
Supply Chain ,
Ukraine ,
Voluntary Disclosure
• $2 million penalty against Exxon overturned
• Court concluded that OFAC failed to provide clear notice of violative conduct
• Companies are at risk when acting in context of ambiguous agency guidance
At the end of...more
1/22/2020
/ Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Executive Orders ,
Exxon Mobil ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Oil & Gas ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
Reversal ,
Rosneft ,
Russia ,
Sanction Violations ,
SDN List ,
Ukraine ,
Vacated
• A payment to a government official can take many forms.
• The SEC charges bank for books and records violation even absent a bribery charge.
• Industry-wide enforcement is a continuing tactic for U.S....more
10/24/2019
/ Accounting Controls ,
Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Books & Records ,
Bribery ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Foreign Official ,
Government Officials ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Internal Controls ,
Internships ,
Quid Pro Quo ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Settlement Agreements
The U.S. Treasury Department, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the main U.S. government body that administers U.S. economic sanctions and embargoes, continues to be busy. In September 2019 alone, OFAC has announced...more
9/27/2019
/ China ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Iran ,
Iran Sanctions ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
SDN List ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Sudan ,
Trade Relations ,
Trump Administration ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices ,
Venezuela
• Virtually all transactions with government prohibited
• Most transactions with private sector parties still permitted
• Practical challenges make Venezuela transactions difficult, including for non-U.S. parties
On...more
• OFAC proposes new reporting requirement for rejected transactions
• Agency issues guidance on dealing with Iran
• Additional parties designated under Magnitsky sanctions program
• Careful diligence of...more
8/1/2019
/ Aviation Industry ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Executive Orders ,
Interim Final Rules (IFR) ,
Iran Sanctions ,
Magnitsky Act ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Reporting Requirements ,
SDN List ,
Trade Relations ,
Trump Administration ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
• The World Bank aggressively pursues sanctions against entities and individuals for misconduct in connection with Bank-funded projects
• Sanctions can lead to cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks and...more
• Company committed multiple apparent violations of U.S. sanctions on North Korea
• Penalty imposed in part because of company’s “non-existent” sanctions compliance program
• Settlement underscores need to address supply...more
2/8/2019
/ China ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cosmetics ,
Due Diligence ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Goods or Services ,
Imports ,
North Korea ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Supply Chain
• Russian corporations de-listed through significant specific steps agreed to with OFAC
• Exporter settles for $7.7 million and agrees to comprehensive compliance measures
• OFAC outlines sanctions compliance best...more
1/4/2019
/ Audits ,
Best Practices ,
Certifications ,
Delisting ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Exports ,
Fifty Percent Rule ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Internal Controls ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Risk Assessment ,
Russia ,
SDN List ,
Settlement Agreements
• Penalties imposed for violations of U.S. sanctions on Russia and Ukraine
• Violations identified during pre-acquisition due diligence on contractor
• Denied persons screening was conducted but missed prohibited...more
12/13/2018
/ Blocked Entities ,
Due Diligence ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Exporters ,
Federal Contractors ,
Foreign Acquisitions ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Penalties ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Risk Assessment ,
Russia ,
Sanction Violations ,
Screening Procedures ,
SDN List ,
Ukraine ,
Voluntary Disclosure
• Mandatory declarations of certain transactions now required
• Certain changes to pre-existing regulations also announced and effective immediately
• Mandatory declaration requirement may not ease burden on parties...more
11/1/2018
/ Acquisitions ,
CFIUS ,
Controlled Foreign Corporations ,
Covered Transactions ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Federal Pilot Programs ,
Filing Requirements ,
FIRRMA ,
Foreign Investment ,
Mandatory Declarations ,
National Security ,
New Rules ,
Notice Requirements ,
U.S. Treasury
• Economic sanctions and export restrictions extended
• Russian investment in United States likely subject to heightened scrutiny
• Diligence on Russia transactions and business partners is essential to ensure...more
9/27/2018
/ CAATSA ,
CBW Act ,
CFIUS ,
Defense Sector ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Executive Orders ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
FIRRMA ,
Foreign Investment ,
Foreign Policy ,
General Licenses ,
National Security ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Russia ,
SDN List ,
Trade Restrictions ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. Treasury
In a much-anticipated decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled Friday that the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) did not apply to a foreign national acting outside the United States without direct...more
8/28/2018
/ Appeals ,
Bribery ,
Criminal Conspiracy ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Dismissals ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Interlocutory Appeals ,
Jurisdiction ,
Reversal
• Ericsson Caused Violation by Having U.S. Party Ship Equipment to Sudan
• U.S. Employee Facilitated Sudan Business
• OFAC Expects Parties Conducting International Business to Have Robust Compliance Processes
In June...more
• FIRRMA would significantly expand CFIUS jurisdiction.
• Mandatory filing would be required in some cases.
• Parties that protect and maintain personal information are likely to face more scrutiny....more
7/13/2018
/ CFIUS ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Export Controls ,
Filing Fees ,
Filing Requirements ,
FIRRMA ,
Foreign Acquisitions ,
Foreign Investment ,
Joint Venture ,
Jurisdiction ,
National Security ,
National Security Review Proceedings ,
Personal Data ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Technology Sector ,
Trump Administration
• Previously permissible activities must be wound down in 90 or 180 days
• Non-U.S. companies at particular risk of enforcement action
• Only limited guidance issued so far, unclear what authority U.S. companies...more