Financial firms have made progress in preventing sanctions breaches, but serious gaps in governance and compliance remain, which are likely to result in keener regulatory scrutiny and potentially more penalties in the future, say experts.
Sanctions
Sanctions penalty for Scottish energy company marks ‘new era’ of sanctions enforcement
A Scottish energy company has become the first to be named by the U.K. customs and excise authority for breaching Russian sanctions rules.
U.K.’s sanctions on cryptocurrency exchanges signal new focus on illicit digital financing
Cryptocurrency exchanges believed to be financing Russia’s war in Ukraine have been sanctioned by the U.K. government in the first attempt to prevent evasion via “dark networks.”
Sabre Corp subsidiary fined $1.3 million for U.K. sanctions circumvention
The U.K.’s sanctions office has imposed its largest penalty for circumventing Russian sanctions since the war in Ukraine began in 2022.
Bosch receives first declination under DOJ’s new policy for self-reporting misconduct
The Department of Justice (DOJ) won’t prosecute German-based Robert Bosch GmbH (Bosch) for export violations under the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (CEP). It is the first corporate declination under the CEP, which credits self-disclosure and self-remediation. The CEP, issued in March, credits corporations that self-disclose misconduct, cooperate with the DOJ investigation […]
U.S. ramps up penalties to criminal level for those dealing with sanctioned Brazilian groups
Two Brazilian groups, Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital, will be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the U.S. State Department, beginning today. Any person who knowingly engages in financial transactions with the group risks criminal liability.
Indian company pays OFAC $275M over alleged Iranian sanctions violations
An Indian company has agreed to pay $275 million to settle allegations that it purchased Iranian liquefied petroleum gas in violation of U.S. sanctions, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced Monday.
EU’s 20th Russian Sanctions Package extends compliance to third parties and anti-circumvention measures
The EU has intensified its focus on sanctions circumvention and the supply of Russian oil in a clear signal that the energy crisis caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will not weaken its efforts to sever Russian cashflows.
Gavin Proudley, SVP Risk & Compliance at Dow Jones, on compliance challenges from divergent rules and geopolitics
Diverging global rules, sanctions, and tariffs being “weaponized,” and more have made compliance complex even before the U.S. strikes on Iran. We asked Gavin Proudley, SVP Risk & Compliance at Dow Jones, what this means for compliance managers and how they can stay ahead of shifting geopolitics and tighter regulations.
FinCEN launches whistleblower portal, seeking tips on BSA and sanctions violations
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has launched a whistleblower webpage to solicit tips on fraud, money-laundering, as well as violations of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and U.S. sanctions.


