Four Russian actors were slapped with sanctions Tuesday for aiding previously sanctioned Russian entities in an effort to circumvent those United States sanctions.
Individuals and entities sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday were hit for their actions on behalf of June 2018 sanctioned entity Divetechnoservices. The four procured “a variety of underwater equipment and diving systems for Russian government agencies, to include the Federal Security Service (FSB),” the department revealed. The FSB was sanctioned in a December 2016 executive order.
“The Treasury Department is disrupting Russian efforts to circumvent our sanctions,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said of the newly sanctioned entities. “Today’s action against these deceptive actors is critical to ensure that the public is aware of the tactics undertaken by designated parties and that these actors remain blocked from the U.S. financial system.”
The four are being sanctioned under the authority of executive order 13694, “Blocking Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities.”
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeted Russian attempts to circumvent the previously issued U.S. sanctions when it announced sanctions Tuesday on Vela-Marine Ltd., Marina Igorevna Tsareva, Anton Aleksandrovich Nagibin, and Lacno S.R.O.
Vela-Marine Ltd. “attempted to act or purported to act for or on behalf of Divetechnoservices,” according to OFAC. Divetechnoservices having used the entity to circumvent the U.S. sanctions.
“Tsareva has worked as an Import Manager for Divetechnoservices and attempted to help Divetechnoservices circumvent U.S. sanctions through Vela-Marine Ltd.,” according to OFAC.
“As of July 2018, Nagibin was a Divetechnoservices’ employee involved in helping the company attempt to circumvent U.S. sanctions,” according to OFAC.
Slovakia-based Lacno S.R.O. as of May 2018 “attempted to facilitate a payment for over $20,000 on behalf of Divetechnoservices,” according to OFAC. As recently as April 2018 “Divetechnoservices planned to utilize Lacno S.R.O. to purchase equipment.” The entity was sanctioned because it “materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, Divetechnoservices.”
Michelle Moons is a White House Correspondent for Breitbart News — follow on Twitter @MichelleDiana and Facebook.
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