WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Thursday called on companies to ensure they comply with Russia-related sanctions imposed after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, warning that a failure to do so could lead to potential prosecution or enforcement actions.
“Given the proliferation of sanctions and export controls imposed in response to Russia’s unjust war, multinational companies should be vigilant in their compliance efforts and be on the lookout for possible attempts to evade U.S. laws,” the departments of Justice, Commerce and Treasury said in a joint notice. “Businesses of all stripes should act responsibly by implementing rigorous compliance controls.”
The United States, Europe and other partners have imposed a host of sanctions on a range of individuals and entities after Russian troops invaded Ukraine one year ago, seeking to exact an economic toll on Moscow. Sanctions freeze any U.S. assets and prevent business being conducted with sanctioned parties.
The departments said “malign actors continue to try to evade Russia‐related sanctions and export controls,” including through use of third party intermediaries.
In their guidance, the agencies cited several tactics being used to evade the sanctions and urged companies to remain vigilant. Businesses should be aware of tactics being used to skirt restrictions, including the use of shell companies, aliases, and obscured shipping information, among other warning signs, the department said.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Tim Ahmann)
