OFAC Sanctions People, Businesses Aiding Hezbollah Financier

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned five people, along with their companies, for helping Hezbollah money exchanger Hassan Moukalled evade sanctions and support the terrorist group, the agency said this week. OFAC said the individuals include two co-founders of CTEX Exchange, the company owned by Moukalled, along with his business consultant.

The sanctions target Andriyah Samir Mushantaf and Bashir Ibrahim Mansur, who helped raise capital toward establishing CTEX Exchange, which the U.S. sanctioned in 2023 (see 2301240020). OFAC also designated Adnan Mahmoud Youssef, a CTEX employee who has sought investors to set up companies in the United Arab Emirates to help Moukalled evade sanctions.

Also sanctioned were Mazen Hassan al-Zein, a UAE-based business consultant for Moukalled and CEO of The Crystal Group, a Lebanon and UAE-based hospitality company that OFAC also sanctioned, and Moukalled’s son, Firas Hasan Moukalled, who helps to operate Lebanon-based Teleport Company SAL.