HSBC Bank USA (“HBUS”) will remit $32,400 to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to settle a potential civil liability case over three apparent violations of the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, OFAC said on Dec. 17. HBUS facilitated financial transactions involving an individual and entity on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, OFAC said. HBUS voluntarily self-disclosed the apparent violations to OFAC, OFAC determined, adding that the violations did not constitute an egregious case.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added an individual and entities and vessels and made changes to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list on Dec. 17.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added inviduals, entities and vessels and made changes to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list on Dec. 12.

The Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) will in March 2014 discontinue issuance of Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) data files in the 32 and 16 bit self-extracting archives known as "PLCDAT32.EXE" and "PLC_DAT.EXE," OFAC said. OFAC will continue to provide and update the 32 bit .zip archive known as "PLC_DAT.ZIP," the archive that contains 18 files including XML, CSV, @ sign delimited, fixed field delimited, and text versions of the PLC list. Those interested in providing feedback should contact OFAC at O_F_A_C@treasury.gov.

The Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and Compass Bank, based in Birmingham, Ala., settled a potential civil liability suit over apparent violations of the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations, OFAC said Dec. 3. Compass Bank agreed to remit $19,125 for one apparent violation of the sanctions regulations, OFAC said, noting the total base penalty amount for the violation was $25,000. OFAC determined Compass Bank did not voluntarily self-disclose the apparent violations, but the violation is considered non-egregious. Compass Bank initiated in February 2011 a funds transfer to Sudan via the U.K., OFAC said. Compass Bank cooperated with the OFAC investigation and took “appropriate remedial action in response to this apparent violation,” OFAC added.

The Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) authorized all transactions related to the arrest, detention, and judicial sale of the AMIN Crude Oil Tanker, effective Nov. 27. The vessel is currently arrested in Gulei, Zhangzhou port, China, OFAC said. OFAC identified the vessel as blocked property on July 12, 2012. OFAC added the entity to the Specially Designated Nationals list (see 12071238).

OFAC deleted the following individuals from the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list on Nov. 26:

The Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Affairs Control (OFAC) settled a civil liability suit with Weatherford International Ltd. for apparent violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations and Sudanese Sanctions Regulations, OFAC said Nov. 26. Weatherford and its subsidiaries provided oilfield equipment and services, along with other direct or indirect exportation of goods, technology, and/or services to the countries in question, said OFAC. “Weatherford’s $91,026,450 settlement with OFAC will be deemed satisfied by the $50 million in criminal fines and monetary penalties paid by Weatherford International Ltd. and two of its subsidiaries pursuant to their agreements with the USAO, as well as the $50 million civil penalty paid to BIS,” said OFAC.

The Treasury Department issued a current list of countries which require or may require participation in, or cooperation with, an international boycott. The list includes Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The list is unchanged from Treasury's last quarterly update (see 13083016).

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added individuals and an entity to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list on Nov. 14.