It is unusual to see a story where the National Basketball Association intersect with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. But that is the lot in life for the 7-foot-2 Hamed Haddadi, a back up center for the Memphis Grizzlies. Since Mr. Haddadi is from Iran, he is apparently subject to the decades … Read more »
Category: Anti-Money Laundering
OFAC: Are You In Compliance?
ATTUS Technologies was kind enough to host a webinar on OFAC compliance. Bradley Allen, CAMS, gave the presentation and these are my notes. The mission of Office of Foreign Assets Control is to administer and enforce economic and trade sanctions based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals against selected targets. It really came … Read more »
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 2008 Annual Report
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 2008 Annual Report (.pdf) has been released. Outcome Goal 1: Financial systems resistant to abuse by money launderers, terrorists and their financial supporters, and other perpetrators of financial crime Outcome Goal 2: Detection and deterrence of money laundering, terrorism financing, and other illicit activity. Outcome Goal 3: Efficient management, safeguarding, … Read more »
Government Seizes 650 Park Avenue
According to the Wall Street Journal, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York has filed a forfeiture proceeding against 650 Fifth Avenue in New York. In its press release: United States files civil forfeiture action against ASSA corporation’s interest in Manhattan office tower (.pdf), the DOJ claims that a 40% interest … Read more »
Canadian Real Estate Developers and Money Laundering
Eli Udell of Perley-Robertson, Hill and McDougall LLP penned a summary of the effect of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act on Canadian real estate developers: Real Estate Developers And Money Laundering Law – What You Need To Know. What Must a Developer Do To Comply? 1) Implementation of a “Compliance … Read more »
What You Need to Know About U.S. Sanctions Against Drug Traffickers
As part of OFAC‘s Specially Designated National List, OFAC includes narcotics kingpins. OFAC has published What You Need to Know About U.S. Sanctions Against Drug Traffickers (.pdf). On December 3, 1999, the President signed into law the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (the “Kingpin Act”), 21 U.S.C. § 1901-1908, 8 U.S.C § 1182. The related … Read more »
Updates to OFAC’s SDN List
FinCEN updated the SDN list with companies and individuals associated with the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe: Treasury Designates Mugabe Regime Cronies. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated four Mugabe regime cronies and a number of entities owned or controlled by two of them. The financial and logistical … Read more »
Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List Updated
Here are the new bad guys on the OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals list: AW-MOHAMED, Ahmed Abdi (a.k.a. ABUZUBAIR, Muktar Abdulrahim; a.k.a. AW MOHAMMED, Ahmed Abdi; a.k.a. “ABU ZUBEYR”; a.k.a. “GODANE”; a.k.a. “GODANI”; a.k.a. “SHAYKH MUKHTAR”); DOB 10 Jul 1977; POB Hargeysa, Somalia; nationality Somalia (individual) [SDGT] EL HABHAB, Redouane (a.k.a. “ABDELRAHMAN”), Iltisstrasse 58, Kiel 24143, … Read more »
Treasury Issues Final Regulations for Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
On November 14, 2008, the Department of the Treasury issued its final rule to implement the Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007, which provided guidelines for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States when reviewing investments by foreign persons in U.S. businesses for national security issues. The Foreign Investment and National … Read more »
Risk Factors for OFAC Compliance – Updated
OFAC has released a revised Risk Factors for OFAC Compliance in the Securities Industry on 11/05/2008. This release includes guidance regarding some specific risk factors relevant to firms in the securities industry. Read more »