Monday 12 January 2015

The Nation's Sanctions Programs

OFAC is a short term for the Office of Foreign Assets Control. This is an agency works under the Department of the Treasury of the United States. This agency is responsible to administer and enforcing economic and trade sanctions. These sanctions are administered and enforced on the basis of US foreign policy and national security goals. The national security goals and foreign policy are against targeted foreign countries, nations and regimes, and terrorists and international narcotics traffickers. These sanctions, in simple words, are against those who are engaged in terrorism-activities and practices. These sanctions are against those countries, groups and individuals who are engaged in activities that are related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. These sanctions are for those who are engaged in activities related to threats to the national security and foreign policy along with economy of the US. There are Presidential National Emergency Powers in US and OFAC acts under the same powers. Also, the authority is granted by specific legislation in order to impose controls on financial transactions. 

OFAC sanction laws are to follow strictly. And if a person is involved in OFAC related matters (if a person has overlooked the laws and sanctions and has not followed the imposed sanction laws) then it is a serious legal matter. OFAC related cases are typical and complex. It becomes essential for each citizen of US, whether a private individual or a business entity, to comply with sanction laws, else there can be risk severe consequences. However, if a person is involved in any such matters for example, if a person is mistakenly/wrongly designated in SDN list (a list known maintained, updated and published by OFAC every year, containing names of countries, groups, organizations and individuals who are engaged in mass-destruction or terrorism-activities) then a person must seek legal assistance from a reputed, highly experienced and extremely knowledgeable lawyer or attorney to get the name removed from the list. As OFAC administers the nation's sanctions programs by imposing criminal and civil penalties, including the blocking and freezing of assets, these typical and complex laws, rules and regulations & proceedings are understood by experts only. And expert lawyers and attorneys can help people (involved in OFAC related matters) to get out of such serious legal-problems.