OFAC Designates Companies, People, Ships Involved in Sanctions Evasion Scheme

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned one entity, three people and five ships for evading U.S. sanctions and delivering jet fuel to Russian forces in Syria, Treasury said Sept. 26.

Among the designated companies is Moscow-based Maritime Assistance LLC, which Treasury said is a front company for U.S. sanctioned OJSC Sovfracht, designated in 2016 for operating in the Crimea region. Treasury also designated three people for “orchestrating” the sanctions evasion conspiracy: Ivan Okorokov, director of the marine transport department at Sovfracht; Karen Stepanyan, first deputy director of the marine transport department at Sovfracht; and Ilya Loginov, deputy general director for legal support at Sovfracht.

OFAC also sanctioned five Russia-flagged ships and provided their International Maritime Organization Ship Identification Numbers: YAZ (9735323), SIG (9735335), SUDAK (8943155), PASSAT (8523242) and OT-2077 (9025778). All are linked to Transpetrochart Co Ltd.