Exodus Movement, the U.S. cryptocurrency trading software company that agreed to pay more than $3 million to the Office of Foreign Assets Control this week to resolve allegations that it violated U.S. sanctions on Iran (see 2512160053), said it "acknowledges and regrets its prior compliance shortcomings during an early period in the firm’s lifetime." A spokesperson said in an email that the firm has "since taken stringent countermeasures and invested millions of dollars to ensure these lapses never happen again. Exodus has fully collaborated with OFAC throughout the investigation and are glad to put this matter firmly behind us."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control updated two Russia-related general licenses involving certain transactions involving Lukoil International GmbH, the international business of Russian energy firm Lukoil. One FAQ covers General License 131A (see 2512100017), which authorizes certain activities related to the negotiation of contracts for the sale of Lukoil International, and the other FAQ covers GL 131A along with GL 128B (see 2512040018), which authorizes certain transactions involving Lukoil retail service stations located outside Russia.
The Council of the European Union on Dec. 18 imposed sanctions on 41 shadow fleet vessels helping Russia move energy or items in support of the Russian military. The vessels are now subject to a "port access ban and ban on provision of a broad range of services related to maritime transport." The EU's sanctions on the shadow fleet now extend to almost 600 vessels. The bloc earlier in the week sanctioned people and four entities responsible for supporting Russia’s shadow fleet (see 2512150038).
The U.S. this week sanctioned two International Criminal Court judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, after accusing them of aiding the court's "politicized actions" against Israel. The State Department said the judges are helping the ICC "investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent." They also voted in favor of the ICC’s ruling against Israel’s appeal on Dec. 15. The ICC is investigating the Israeli government for committing alleged war crimes against civilians in Gaza.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned 29 ships and their management companies, which it said are operating as part of Iran's shadow fleet and helping the country transport petroleum and petroleum products through "deceptive shipping practices." They have helped Iran move hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian petroleum, OFAC said.
The U.K. delisted two individuals and two entities from its Syria sanctions regime Dec. 17, though it said all four parties remain sanctioned under different restrictions regimes.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week renewed two Russia-related general licenses that authorize certain transactions related to crude oil originating from the Sakhalin-2 project and certain transactions with Russian entities related to civil nuclear energy.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Mexico-based Cartel de Santa Rosa de Lima and its leader, Jose Antonio Yepez Ortiz, saying it's in a "violent conflict" with Cartel Jalisco Nuevo Generacion for control of fuel in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. The cartel also participates in an energy black market that undermines legitimate U.S. oil and natural gas companies, the U.S. said, and is involved in trafficking heroin into the country. The Treasury Department said Yepez Ortiz was arrested by Mexican authorities in 2022 and sentenced to 60 years in prison, but he continues to be "active" in the cartel, including by sending instructions and orders through lawyers and family members.
The State Department is designating Colombia-based drug trafficking group Clan del Golfo a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist, the agency said in Federal Register notices released this week. The State Department called the group a "violent and powerful criminal organization with thousands of members," adding that it traffics cocaine and is responsible for attacks against public officials, law enforcement, military personnel and civilians in Colombia.
The U.N. Security Council last week removed Iraqi national Munir al Qubaysi from its sanctions lists. It didn't release more information. The U.S. sanctioned al Qubaysi in 2004 for links to former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.