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Boston, Italy Arrests in Drone Navigation Export Scheme

The founder of Iranian company and an engineering PhD and Marketing Manager of a Boston-area microelectronics manufacturer were arrested and charged with Violating Export Control Laws in Conspiracy to Procure Sensitive U.S. Technology for Use in IRGC Military Drones Mahdi Sadeghi, 42, a dual U.S.-Iranian national of Natick, Massachusetts, and Mohammad Abedini, 38, of Tehran, Iran, have been charged with conspiring to export sophisticated electronic components from the United States to Iran in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws. Abedini is also charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), , that resulted in the deaths of three U.S. servicemembers who were killed by a one-way attack Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), also known as a drone, on a military base in Jordan. Sadeghi was arrested and made his initial appearance Monday in the District of Massachusetts. Abedini was also arrested in Italy by Italian authorities at the request of the United States.

Senate Focus on Export Control Enforcement

Wednesday Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), introduced bipartisan legislation to bolster the Export Enforcement Coordination Center—an interagency hub for information sharing and coordination among the key agencies responsible for export control enforcement. At a hearing Thursday, officials from Commerce, Justice and Homeland Security were unanimous in their call for resources from Congress.

Brooklyn Dual Use Arrests

Four individuals were arrested, and an indictment and criminal complaint were unsealed this week regarding two separate conspiracies to unlawfully export controlled, dual-use technologies to Russia. October 31, a criminal complaint was unsealed, and a Brooklyn, New York, resident and two Canadian nationals were arrested in connection with a global procurement scheme in which the defendants used two corporate entities registered in Brooklyn to unlawfully source and purchase dual-use electronics on behalf of end-users in Russia, including companies affiliated with the Russian military. Separately, a Brooklyn resident was arrested, and a four-count indictment was unsealed alleging an illegal exports scheme to procure dual-use electronic components for entities in Russia involved in the development and manufacture of drones for the Russian war effort in Ukraine.

Monaco Announces Compliance Reforms

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced a "Department-wide Safe Harbor Policy" for voluntary self-disclosures of misconduct by acquirers in the mergers and acquisition process.

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Vol 45 No. 2 January 13, 2025

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Cabinet Sweep Likely

It looks as though President Trump's Cabinet will be confirmed as nominated, with the exception of course of Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, currently the subject of disciplinary proceedings by the Florida Bar. Pam Bondi, Howard Lutnick and Scott Bessent appear to be tracking to confirmation, although Lutnick's confirmation paperwork is reportedly incomplete, creating a delay.

Sudan Army Chief Sanctioned

OFAC is sanctioning Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan (Burhan), the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), under Executive Order (E.O.) 14098, “Imposing Sanctions on Certain Persons Destabilizing Sudan and Undermining the Goal of a Democratic Transition.” This action follows the designation of the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa , on January 7, 202 .[13310]. In addition, OFAC is sanctioning one company and one individual involved in weapons procurement on behalf of the Defense Industries System (DIS), a procurement arm of the SAF that OFAC sanctioned in June 2023.

More Republika Srpska Sanctions

The United States today designated eight individuals who organized and executed the commemoration of Republika Srpska (RS) Day on January 8-10, 2024 in support of RS President Milorad Dodik’s secessionist agenda. Seven of those sanctioned today also helped plan and organize the 2025 commemoration. RS commemorations have been determined to be unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court. Directed and overseen by Dodik, they are emblematic of Dodik’s longstanding efforts to undermine the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, a cornerstone for regional peace and security.

Cuba Concessions in Vatican Brokered Deal

In cooperation with the Vatican, the Biden Administration made several meaningful diplomatic concessions in a negotiation for the release of political prisoners by the Havana regime. "We are taking several steps to support the Cuban people as part of an understanding with the Catholic Church under the leadership of Pope Francis and improve the livelihood of Cubans," said Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Cuba has announced that it will release from prison 553 people “convicted of various crimes.

USTR Finds China Maritime, Logistics & Shipbuilding "Actionable"

The U.S. Trade Representative has issued findings in the Section 301 investigation of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) targeting the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance, concluding that the PRC’s targeted dominance in these sectors is unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce, and is therefore “actionable” under Section 301. As the petitioner U.S. unions have highlighted, the entrenchment of the PRC’s dominance means that U.S. international trade is “carried out on vessels made in China, financed by state-owned Chinese institutions, owned by Chinese shipping companies, and reliant on a global maritime and logistics infrastructure increasingly dominated by China.”

U.S. and Colombia Agree on Investment Provisions of Trade Agreement

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Thursday it has reached an agreement with Colombia aimed at strengthening the two countries' defenses against investor-state claims in an underlying trade pact, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai met with Minister Luis Carlos Reyes of Colombia’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Tourism to announce a mutual agreement on a Free Trade Commission (FTC) decision under the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA). The decision provides an official interpretation of the TPA’s investment chapter provisions.

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