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Last Week's Major Developments in Sanctions - May 5th, 2025, to May 9th, 2025

  • Writer: Amir Fadavi
    Amir Fadavi
  • May 13
  • 2 min read
You can now listen to the audio version of our weekly sanctions updates here.

Monday, May 5

  • OFAC imposed blocking sanctions against Karen National Army, a militia group in Burma, the group’s leader, Saw Chit Thu, and his two sons, for facilitating cyber scams that have harmed U.S. citizens, human trafficking, and cross-border smuggling. The designation was made under Executive Orders 13581 and 14014. (Here, the Department of the Treasury press release)


Tuesday, May 6

  • There was no major development on this day.


Wednesday, May 7 

  • France imposed asset-freezing sanctions against three North Korean individuals under France’s autonomous sanctions regime that targets UN NPWMD sanctions evaders. (Here)  


Thursday, May 8

  • OFAC imposed blocking sanctions against two individuals, 11 entities, including a Chinese teapot refinery and three oil terminal operators, and six vessels for their role in purchasing or facilitating the delivery of Iranian oil. Actions taken under Executive Order 13902 13846 that target Iran’s petroleum sector and exports. (Here, the Department of State press release, the Department of the Treasury press release)

  • OFSI imposed a £5,000 fine on Svarog Shipping & Trading Company, a UK-based fuel transportation company in the maritime oil shipment sector, for breaching regulation 74(1)(a) of The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. The company failed to respond to OFSI requests in a reasonable timeframe without reasonable excuse. This marks the first time OFSI imposed such a fine. (Here, the Report of Penalty for Breach of Financial Sanctions, the OFSI blog post)  (Thoughts: Would it be more expensive for Svarog Shipping & Trading Company to hire counsel and respond to the RFI from OFSI? Maybe; maybe not!) 

  • A U.S. person was sentenced to 30 years and four months in prison for his efforts to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The convict raised funds online on various social media accounts using electronic transfers to receive funds or collecting funds by hand. He would then convert the money to cryptocurrency and send it to Turkey, where it was smuggled to ISIS members in Syria. (Here)


Friday, May 9

  • OFSI imposed asset-freezing sanctions on five individuals, four entities, and 101 vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. (Here, and the press release by the British government)

  • UK’s Export Control Joint unit updated 13 Open General Export Licences (OGEL) to exclude military nuclear power generating and nuclear power propulsion equipment from the scope of the licences. (Here)


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