It may “take two to tango,” but it takes 27,000 sanctions violations to dance with the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Last month, Tango Card, Inc. agreed to pay $116,000 to settle these violations. This case serves as an important reminder for any ecommerce business. How a gift card company got in…
Higher penalties. Suspended sentences. Admissions of fault. Public charging letters. Welcome to a new era of export enforcement. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has changed the game when it comes to penalizing companies and individuals for export violations. How did they do it? And what does this mean for your…
Remember the postcard tax return? It’s been touted by various government officials since 1950. The idea is simple (and beautiful): What if you could file your taxes on a simple, easy-to-use postcard? Just imagine all the hours you could save! Or how about Form 1040EZ? The name itself underscores the simplicity. That is, until you…
We have been asked quite a bit recently as to the latest controls, restrictions and activities specific to exporting to China. Where to begin? There have been many changes over the last few months. The below are short summaries of the major areas of new export controls concerning exports to China. Restrictions Involving Publicly Traded…
Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that a former Raytheon engineer was sentenced to 38 months in prison for violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). According to the press release, Wei Sun, 49, pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating the AECA. He was sentenced by District Court Judge Rosemary…
Why are Customs Regulations Important? US Customs at its core is the top law enforcement agency for America. It was established to help control the flow of goods and people in and out of the country. One of their main obligations is to collect duties and taxes on the merchandise that is imported. They also…
What does OFAC compliance mean for your business? We frequently talk about BIS and DDTC when it comes to export compliance, but less often, do we discuss the importance of OFAC compliance. When it comes to OFAC compliance, there are three mistakes we often see companies make: Failing to Understand How Far-Reaching the OFAC Sanctions…
Are you Conducting Business with the Department of Defense? If your answer is “yes,” you’ll soon need to comply with the new standards based on the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). Moi? Yes, you. Don’t panic, there’s plenty of time to get certified, but you really need to get rolling now. Between June and September of…
An Exporter of Record (EOR) is the entity legally responsible for ensuring shipments comply with all export regulations, preventing costly penalties. While companies can act as their own EOR, many hire experts to manage the complex exporter of record responsibilities and mitigate risks associated with global trade. Compliance and Documentation: The EOR handles correct shipment…
Is Your Company’s Understanding of ITAR Procedures Flawed? Earlier this month, I was reading some articles online and found the following statement about a company and its ITAR requirements (bold emphasis mine): “Export-controlled technical data has a unique set of rules designed to ensure that it is not inadvertently released or “exported” to foreign persons…