The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will hold a webinar Dec. 9 on using the Defense Export Control Compliance System licensing application, DDTC said in a Nov. 26 notice, which includes login information. The webinar also will cover the state of DECCS, system statistics and a self-service tools demonstration.
A Venezuelan business executive was indicted on money laundering charges for his alleged involvement in a bribery scheme to benefit officials at Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., the Justice Department said Nov. 25. Natalino D’Amato allegedly worked with others to launder funds from the bribery scheme to and from bank accounts in Florida, including for joint ventures controlled by U.S.-sanctioned PdVSA. Companies controlled by D’Amato received about $160 million from PdVSA’s joint ventures, and D’Amato used a portion of that money to bribe Venezuelan officials, the Justice Department alleged. The U.S. is seeking to seize about $45 million belonging to bank accounts involved with the scheme.
The United Kingdom issued a guidance for its Mali sanctions Nov. 30, detailing the prohibitions, record-keeping requirements, enforcement measures and license exceptions. The guidance also clarifies how the sanctions will be imposed once the U.K. has left the European Union Jan. 1, 2021.
The United Kingdom amended 15 entries under its Afghanistan sanctions regime, a Nov. 27 notice said. The changes update identifying information for the entries.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the China National Electronics Import & Export Corp. (CEIEC), a Chinese state-owned company that exports advanced technologies and technical expertise globally, OFAC said Nov. 30. The agency designated CEIEC for selling technology, software and training to Venezuelan government entities, which then use the products to bolster the Nicolas Maduro regime’s “malicious cyber efforts.”
The State Department is seeking comments on an information collection involving requests to change end-user, end-use and “destination of hardware” information, the agency said in a notice released Nov. 27. Those requests are submitted to the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls before DDTC can approve exports of certain defense goods to parties other than those stated on a license. Comments are due Dec. 28.
The Commerce Department again renewed a temporary export denial order for Mahan Airways because the airline continues to violate the order and the Export Administration Regulations, according to a Nov. 24 notice. The Iranian airline has been on the banned list since 2008, with the last denial renewed May 29. The latest renewal is for 180 days beyond Nov. 24, Commerce said.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation amended two entries under its cyberattacks sanctions regime, according to a Nov. 24 notice. The notice updated identifying information for Gao Qiang and Zhang Shilong, two Chinese nationals involved in cyberattacks on multinational companies in the European Union (see 2007310007).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the Kaniyat militia and its leader, Mohamed al-Kani, for serious human rights abuses, according to a Nov. 25 press release. Al-Kani and the militia are responsible for numerous civilian executions and other human rights violations in Libya, OFAC said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control published a notice Nov. 30 listing three previously issued Venezuela-related general licenses that contain authorizations related to Petroleos de Venezuela. In addition to the current General License 5E, the notice contains general licenses 5C and 5D, both of which were superseded by GL 5E, which was issued in October (see 2010060036). The authorizations in GL 5E will become effective Jan. 19, 2021.