EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overview This report details and analyzes all additions, modifications, and removals to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List from January 1, 2026, through July 1, 2026. The first half of 2026 has been characterized by a highly aggressive shift in U.S. sanctions policy, moving beyond traditional state-sponsored targets to heavily penalize transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), decentralized cryptocurrency evasion networks, and global maritime smuggling syndicates.
Key Strategic Trends & Intelligence Highlights:
1. Unprecedented Elevation of LATAM Cartels to FTO Status The most significant geopolitical shift in 2026 is the U.S. government’s decision to designate major Latin American criminal syndicates as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) alongside their existing SDGT and Narco-Trafficking tags.
- Targets: Brazil’s Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV), alongside Ecuador’s Chone Killers.
- Impact: This merges narco-terrorism and TCO frameworks, drastically expanding secondary sanctions risks and extraterritorial jurisdiction for global financial institutions and supply chains operating in the Americas.
2. The Crypto & Blockchain Enforcement Wave OFAC has fundamentally shifted toward blockchain-level sanctions enforcement, specifically targeting privacy coins and decentralized finance (DeFi) evasion.
- ISIS-K & Terror Financing: In May and July 2026, OFAC appended hundreds of Monero (XMR) and Tron (TRX) wallet addresses to ISIS-K (ISIL Khorasan) and its Syrian/Turkish hawala networks (e.g., Al-Karam, Spider Company).
- Iranian Crypto Exchanges: Major domestic Iranian exchanges (Nobitex, Wallex, Ramzinex, Bitpin) were sanctioned for facilitating IRGC and state-level sanctions evasion, alongside associated OTC brokers.
3. Iranian “Ghost Fleet” & Weapons Procurement A sustained, multi-phase campaign was executed against Iran’s illicit oil revenue and military procurement pipelines.
- Maritime Evasion: Dozens of crude and LPG tankers, along with shadow ship-management companies in the UAE, Marshall Islands, and Panama, were designated for flag-hopping and AIS spoofing.
- Procurement Networks: Severe sanctions were applied to the Center for Innovation and Technology Cooperation (CITC), MODLEX, and associated front companies in China, Belarus, and Turkey facilitating drone and missile component transfers.
4. Dismantling Asian Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO) In a massive April/June enforcement wave, OFAC targeted the Cambodia-based Prince Group and its international web of shell companies (spanning the UK, Hong Kong, and Cyprus). The designations expose a sprawling TCO network involved in cyber-fraud, human trafficking, illegal mining, and global money laundering via real estate and luxury assets.
5. State-Level & Conflict Zone Crackdowns
- Cuba & Nicaragua: Systematic targeting of state-owned enterprises, the military/intelligence apparatus (MINFAR, DGI), and gold/mining sectors to squeeze regime revenues.
- Africa (DRC/Sudan): Sanctions were applied to the Rwandan Defense Force (RDF) and associated gold smuggling networks funding the M23 rebellion, alongside Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their international explosives suppliers (e.g., SBL Energy).
- Russia: Continued targeting of military-industrial IT procurement (e.g., Matrix LLC / Operation Zero) and maritime leasing entities circumventing the G7 oil price cap.
Compliance & Monitoring Directives:
- Crypto Screening: Compliance teams must immediately integrate the newly published TRX and XMR wallet addresses into automated blockchain transaction monitoring systems.
- LATAM Supply Chain Audits: Multinational corporations must re-evaluate LATAM vendor and logistics exposures under the new FTO frameworks to avoid severe secondary sanctions penalties.
- Maritime & Flag-Hopping Detection: Enhanced AIS tracking and vessel-verification protocols are required for all maritime transactions linked to the UAE, Panama, and Marshall Islands to detect Iranian and Russian shadow fleet movements.
- TCO & Shell Company Scrutiny: Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) is required for corporate registries in the UK, Hong Kong, and Cambodia to identify latent links to the Prince Group and Southeast Asian cyber-syndicates.
2026 OFAC SDN List Changes (Master Intelligence Table)
| Date | Action | Primary Entity / Network Node | Sanctions Program(s) | Key Details / Affiliations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/02/26 | Changed | DIANA, Cristian | ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059 | Updated ID/Address; Linked To: STILE ITALIANO, WINDROSE TACTICAL |
| 01/08/26 | Changed | KHALIL, Khaled | SDGT | Updated POB; Linked To: ANSARALLAH (Houthis) |
| 01/08/26 | Changed | LEBANESE COMMUNICATION GROUP | SDGT | Updated Registry; Hizballah Financial Sanctions |
| 01/08/26 | Changed | AMOL (Vessel Network) | IRAN | Consolidated aliases (ARGO 1, CASTOR, SILVER CLOUD, etc.); Linked To: NITC |
| 01/08/26 | Changed | VTB BANK BELARUS | RUSSIA-EO14024 / UKRAINE | Updated aliases (CJSC SLAVNEFTEBANK); Linked To: VTB BANK |
| 01/08/26 | Changed | SBERBANK | RUSSIA-EO14024 / UKRAINE | Updated global branch addresses & directives |
| 01/13/26 | Added | EGYPTIAN MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD | SDGT | Advocacy Org; Linked To: HAMAS |
| 01/13/26 | Added | JORDANIAN MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD | SDGT | Advocacy Org; Linked To: HAMAS |
| 01/13/26 | Added | TAKKOUSH, Mohammad | SDGT | Linked To: LEBANESE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD |
| 01/15/26 | Added | AL-JAMAA AL-ISLAMIYAH | FTO / SDGT | Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood; Est. 1964 |
| 01/16/26 | Added | Ansarallah / Houthi Financial Network | SDGT | Entities: ADEEMA OIL, AL SHARAFI OIL, AL-RADWAN EXCHANGE, ALSA COMPANY, BARASH AVIATION, RABYA FOR TRADING, SAMA AIRLINE, AL-WADI AL-KABIR. Individuals: ADRISS, AL MUAYYAD, ALBAIDHANI, AL-MATARI, ASGHAR, BSEIS, DAHAN, ISMAIL, PSHENICHNYY, SALM, SINGH, AL-SHARAFI AL-AZRAQ. |
| 01/21/26 | Added | Hamas Charity / NGO Network | SDGT | Entities: AL FALAH BENEVOLENT, AL NOOR PRISONER, AL-SALAMA, MERCIFUL HANDS, QAWAFIL ALKHAIR, VAED ASSOCIATION, POPULAR CONFERENCE FOR PALESTINIANS ABROAD. Individuals: BIRAWI, Zaher Khaled Hassan. |
| 01/22/26 | Removed | ALTOMARE S.A. / KALLISTA (Vessel) | SDGT / IFSR | Removed from SDN List |
| 01/22/26 | Added | Costa Rica Drug Network | ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059 | Entities: ASOLIPES, CELAJES DE YORK, INVERSIONES LAURITA, MAGIC ESTHETIC. Individuals: MC DONALD RODRIGUEZ (Anita, Estefania), PENA RUSSELL, PICADO GRIJALBA (Jordie, Luis). |
| 01/23/26 | Added | Iran Oil Smuggling Network | IRAN-EO13902 | Mgmt: AAYAT SHIP, BENOIL, BLACK STONE OIL & GAS, GALERAN, HORIZON HARVEST, ODYSSEY MARINE, TRADE BRIDGE GLOBAL. Vessels: AL DIAB II, AQUA SPIRIT, AVON, CESARIA, CHIRON 5, EASTERN HERO, KEEL, LONGEVITY 7, SEA BIRD. |
| 01/30/26 | Changed | SELTAN MOHAMMEDI, Mohammed | NPWMD / IFSR | Updated Linked To: HODA TRADING |
| 01/30/26 | Removed | SOLTECH INDUSTRIES COMPANY LTD | NPWMD / IFSR | Removed from SDN List |
| 01/30/26 | Added | ZANJANI, Babak Morteza | IRAN-EO13902 | Iran / UAE |
| 02/06/26 | Added | PERSIAN GULF STRAIT AUTHORITY | SDGT / IFSR | Linked To: IRGC |
| 02/10/26 | Added | Hizballah Maritime / Finance Network | SDGT | Entities: BRILLIANCE MARITIME, JOOD SARL, PLATINUM GROUP, SEA SURF. Vessels: BRILLIANCE, LARA. Individuals: BORISOV, MAGED. |
| 02/19/26 | Added | Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) Network | SDGT / ILLICIT-DRUGS | Entities: CASINO CENTENARIO, COMERCIALIZADORA Y ARRENDADORA, DIAMANTE CASINO. Individuals: ISLAS VALDEZ, PENILLA RODRIGUEZ, RAMOS VAZQUEZ. |
| 02/24/26 | Added | SHEIBANI, Mohammad Reza | IRAN / SDGT / IRGC | Linked To: HIZBALLAH |
| 02/25/26 | Added | Iran Crypto Exchange Network | IRAN / SDGT | Exchanges: NOBITEX, BITPIN, WALLEX, RAMZINEX. Individuals: RAD, Amir (and aliases). |
| 03/02/26 | Added | KABILA, Joseph Kabange | DRCONGO | Former DRC President; Linked To: M23, CONGO RIVER ALLIANCE |
| 03/05/26 | Changed | PRIMEIRO COMANDO DA CAPITAL (PCC) | FTO / SDGT / ILLICIT-DRUGS | Major Update: Designated as Transnational Terrorist Group (FTO) |
| 03/05/26 | Changed | COMANDO VERMELHO | FTO / SDGT | Major Update: Designated as Transnational Terrorist Group (FTO) |
| 03/12/26 | Added | DPRK IT / Cyber Network | DPRK4 / NPWMD | Entities: AMNOKGANG TECH, YALU RIVER TECH, QUANGVIETDNBG. Individuals: YUN Song Guk, NGUYEN Quang Viet, DO Phi Khanh, HOANG (Minh Quang, Van Nguyen), CELESTINO HERRERA. |
| 03/18/26 | Removed | ALBANESE, Francesca Paola | ICC-EO14203 | Removed (Note: Re-added on 05/27/26) |
| 03/20/26 | Changed | GONZALEZ PENUELAS, Jesus | SDNTK / SDGT / ILLICIT-DRUGS | Linked To: SINALOA CARTEL |
| 03/20/26 | Added | Sinaloa Cartel Network | SDGT / ILLICIT-DRUGS | Entities: BOTANICA 2000. Individuals: FELIX HERAS, REYNOSO JIMENEZ. |
| 03/26/26 | Added | CUPET (UNION CUBA PETROLEO) | CUBA-EO14404 | Cuban State-Owned Enterprise |
| 04/14/26 | Removed | MUNOZ PEDROZA, Reinaldo Enrique | VENEZUELA | Removed from SDN List |
| 04/15/26 | Added | Sepehr Energy Network | SDGT / IFSR | Entities: DAMAI TECH, GROWTH TRADING, MEHDIYEV TRADING, TIDA CO, WORTH SEEN ENERGY. |
| 04/17/26 | Added | Iran Defense / IT Procurement | SDGT / IFSR | Entities: AL KAWTHER NEON, GREEN LIGHT COMPUTER, SAIRAN, SAMANEH HOUSHMAND SORENA, SORENA HUSHMAND. Individuals: AKHTARIAN, BAGHERI, BITAZAR, DAREH SHIRI, REZAEI, SARMADI, SEPEHR, ZAHEDI, ZANDIAN. |
| 04/21/26 | Added | ISIS-K Financial / Crypto Network | SDGT | Entities: ALKARAM CONSULTING, SPIDER GAYRIMENKUL, BITCOIN EXCHANGE AGENT IDLIB, GENERATION CURRENCY, MANHATTAN BUREAU, NINE TO NINE EXCHANGE. Individuals: ABDELHAKIM, ABDERRAHMANE, ADAMU, MUHAMMAD. |
| 04/23/26 | Added | Prince Group (TCO) Network | TCO | Entities: CCU COMMERCIAL BANK, CHINA RESERVE SECURITIES, CLOUD NINE LEASING, CN BREEZE, FUTURE KING, FUTURE OASIS, HALO NETWORK. Individuals: CHEN Bo, DAI An, FANG Zhizhen, HO Ho Ming, HU Xiaowei, KONG Ka On, LUO Brendon, QIU Dong. |
| 04/24/26 | Added | Cuban State Enterprises | CUBA-EO14404 | ALMACENES UNIVERSALES, ANTILLANA DE ACERO, BANCO FINANCIERO INTERNACIONAL (BFI), GEOMINERA, RAFIN, RUEDA CARDERO. |
| 04/25/26 | Added | DRC Gold Mining Network | DRCONGO | Entities: BUGAMBIRA MINES, GASABO GOLD REFINERY, MULTISERVE, RWINKWAVU, WOLFRAM MINING. Individuals: KALIMA KAREKEZI, KAYOBOTSI. |
| 04/26/26 | Added | Sudan Explosives / Logistics | SUDAN-EO14098 | Entities: AMIN EXPLOSIVES, SBL ENERGY, TARGET MULTIACTIVITIES, PORTS ENGINEERING. Individuals: CHOUDHARI, DERMAN GUZMAN, LOPEZ OCAMPO, MADANI, PALACIOS QUINTANILLA. |
| 04/30/26 | Added | CJNG Logistics Network | SDGT / ILLICIT-DRUGS | Entities: AHAVAT LOGISTICS, CENTRO CAMBIARIO LA PESETA, JOMADI LOGISTICS, OJ LIVING TRUST, RK REAL KING, SOMA TRANSPORTE. Individuals: JURAIDINI SILVA, RUIZ VILLAGOMEZ. |
| 05/01/26 | Added | CHONE KILLERS | FTO / SDGT | Ecuadorian Transnational Terrorist/Criminal Group |
| 05/01/26 | Changed | ISIL KHORASAN (ISIS-K) | FTO / SDGT | Major Update: Added extensive XMR and TRX Digital Currency Addresses |
| 05/08/26 | Added | Iran Arms Procurement Network | NPWMD / IRAN-CON-ARMS | Entities: ARMORY ALLIANCE, CENTER FOR INNOVATION (CITC), MUSTAD SHANGHAI, SHANGSHUN HK, SOLOS INTL. Individuals: GOLCHIN, LIU Boyu, MENG Shaopei, WANG Hongyi, XU Lichun, AHADZADEH. |
| 05/11/26 | Added | Hizballah Commercial Network | SDGT | AL ‘AHD COMPANY, AL SHAFA, GLOBE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS, TAEK SAL, CONSTANTINE, FRANGIE, QAMATI. |
| 05/19/26 | Added | Lebanese Political / Hizballah | SDGT | FRANGIE, Sleiman (and aliases) |
| 05/27/26 | Added | ALBANESE, Francesca Paola | ICC-EO14203 | ICC Prosecutor (Re-added) |
| 05/28/26 | Added | Cuban Gov / Military Entities | CUBA-EO14404 | COMITES DE DEFENSA (CDR), MINFAR, ICAP, MINERA LA VICTORIA, DIAZ-CANEL BERMUDEZ, CASTRO ESPIN. |
| 06/22/26 | Added | Sudan Target Multiactivities | SUDAN-EO14098 | TARGET MULTIACTIVITIES, SBL ENERGY, AMIN EXPLOSIVES (Consolidated Network Update) |
| 06/23/26 | Added | CHONE KILLERS | FTO / SDGT | Confirmed FTO Designation |
| 07/01/26 | Added | PCC Money Laundering Network | SDGT / ILLICIT-DRUGS | Entities: AVENIDAS FLUTUANTES, PIXWAVE SOLUCOES, VICTORY TRADING, WAVE CONSTRUCOES. Individuals: DE OLIVEIRA SHIMADA, NUNES HENRIQUE. |
Intelligence Summary & Trends (2026 YTD)
- FTO Designations for Cartels: A massive shift in US policy occurred in March 2026 when Brazil’s PCC and Comando Vermelho, alongside Ecuador’s Chone Killers, were designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) alongside their existing SDGT/Drug Kingpin tags.
- ISIS-K Crypto Dragnet: In April/May 2026, OFAC mapped and sanctioned a massive web of ISIS-K hawalas, crypto exchanges (Idlib No. 1 BTC), and front companies in Turkey and Nigeria, appending hundreds of TRX/XMR wallet addresses to the SDN list.
- Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO): The Prince Group (Cambodia-based) was heavily targeted in April 2026 for cyber-fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering, taking down CCU Commercial Bank and dozens of shell companies in the UK, BVI, and HK.
- Iranian Procurement & Evasion: Continuous rolling sanctions targeted Iran’s “Ghost Fleet” oil smuggling network, crypto exchanges (Nobitex, Wallex), and drone/arms procurement nodes in China and Belarus (CITC/Armory Alliance).
- Hamas & Hizballah Financial Squeeze: Early 2026 saw the systematic dismantling of Hamas-linked charity fronts in Gaza and Hizballah’s maritime/commercial logistics nodes in Lebanon and West Africa.