The Austrian annual criminal statistics reveal 4 convictions for the year 2018 for breaches of section 7 the “War Materials Law”. Two other convictions for other offences were obtained in the year.
No information was published on the nature of the offending, the identity of the offenders or the sentences.
The ACPR in France has today announced the imposition of a fine of €50m against Banque Postale.
This is the largest fine imposed in France to date.
The fine was imposed for sanctions compliance failings and in particular the ability of designated persons to transfer funds through Banque Postale, even when not a customer, by “money order”.
Banque Postale has indicated an intention to appeal the fine.
The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office has issued a press release regarding the arrest of an individual (Vladimir D.) on suspicion of exporting dual-use goods to Russia in breach of EU sanctions.
The goods are valued at €1.7 million and were said to have been exported in two consignments in 2014 and 2018.
As stated in the press release: “In order to circumvent the export controls, the accused is said to have carried out his transactions via changing fictitious recipients, presented false documents and carried out technical manipulations on the goods”.
The Luxembourg financial services regulator, the CSSF, has today imposed a a fine of €55,000 on ANF Luxembourg SA for AML and sanctions compliance failings.
The penalty notice noted failings in compliance in relation to UN sanctions, but does not specify which regime was implicated.
The Dutch Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal against the 19-year sentence for (amongst other crimes) breach of the EU’s Liberian sanctions.
The appeal was largely on the grounds that the Liberian government had granted an amnesty which was said to apply. The Supreme Court disagreed, and in any event held that such an amnesty is incompatible with Dutch obligations under the European Convention of Human Rights.
Further to our earlier post relating to a fine imposed on the Dutch airline KLM, after an appeal by the Dutch prosecutors the fine has been raised to €60,000 from 40,000 with half suspended for 2 years.
The Hamburg Public Prosecutor has confirmed that it is currently investigating three Russian-based employees of Siemens in relation to alleged export of turbines to Crimea in breach of EU sanctions.
Siemens has confirmed that it is cooperating with the investigation, and stated that it exported the turbines for use in Russia and not in Crimea, and that the turbines were re-exported to Crimea without its knowledge.
It has been reported today that the British company, VWR International Limited, has pleaded guilty to four counts of exporting dual-use chemicals and metals to Pakistan, Jordan and South Africa.
The exports were undertaken either without a licence or despite being denied an export licence.
The company was fined £7,039.
Following a trial at Southwark Crown Court three individuals have been convicted of exporting parts for military aircraft to Iran in breach of sanctions.
Alexander George was given a custodial sentence of 2 and a half years, while Paul Attwater and Iris Attwater were sentenced to suspended sixth months in prison.
The shipments were sent in the name of a BVI company, via, Netherlands, Malaysia and Dubai, but were destined for Iran.
The District Court of Amsterdam has convicted a company on multiple charges of exporting military goods for a Russian end user. The intended Russian recipient of the exports was named as JSC Global Security, but the name of the convicted Dutch company was anonymised.
The goods (mostly bullet proof vests and other military equipment) were stopped at Schiphol airport and had been brought from South Africa.
The company was fined €30,000 (half suspended for 2 years).
