(a) Attention is directed to section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (the “Act”) (50 U.S.C. 1705), which is applicable to violations of the provisions of any license, ruling, regulation, order, direction, or instruction issued by or pursuant to the direction or authorization of the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to this part or otherwise under the Act.

(1) A civil penalty not to exceed the amount set forth in Section 206 of the Act may be imposed on any person who violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of any license, order, regulation, or prohibition issued under the Act.

(2) The applicable maximum civil penalty per violation of the Act is the greater of $368,136 or an amount that is twice the amount of the transaction that is the basis of the violation with respect to which the penalty is imposed.

(3) A person who willfully commits, willfully attempts to commit, or willfully conspires to commit, or aids or abets in the commission of a violation of any license, order, regulation, or prohibition shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1,000,000, or if a natural person, may be imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both.

(b) Adjustments to penalty amounts. (1) The civil penalties provided in the Act are subject to adjustment pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-410, as amended, 28 U.S.C. 2461 note).

(2) The criminal penalties provided in the Act are subject to adjustment pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3571.

(c) Attention is directed to section 5 of the United Nations Participation Act (22 U.S.C. 287c(b)), which provides that any person who willfully violates or evades or attempts to violate or evade any order, rule, or regulation issued by the President pursuant to the authority granted in that section, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than $10,000 and, if a natural person, may also be imprisoned for not more than 10 years; and the officer, director, or agent of any corporation who knowingly participates in such violation or evasion shall be punished by a like fine, imprisonment, or both and any property, funds, securities, papers, or other articles or documents, or any vessel, together with her tackle, apparel, furniture, and equipment, or vehicle, or aircraft, concerned in such violation shall be forfeited to the United States. The criminal penalties provided in the United Nations Participation Act are subject to increase pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3571.

(d) Attention is also directed to 18 U.S.C. 1001, which provides that whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device, a material fact, or makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation or makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(e) Violations of this part may also be subject to relevant provisions of other applicable laws.

(a) When required. If the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control has reasonable cause to believe that there has occurred a violation of any provision of this part or a violation of the provisions of any license, ruling, regulation, order, direction, or instruction issued by or pursuant to the direction or authorization of the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to this part or otherwise under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and the Director determines that further proceedings are warranted, the Director shall notify the alleged violator of the agency's intent to impose a monetary penalty by issuing a prepenalty notice. The prepenalty notice shall be in writing. The prepenalty notice may be issued whether or not another agency has taken any action with respect to the matter.

(b) Contents of notice—(1) Facts of violation. The prepenalty notice shall describe the violation, specify the laws and regulations allegedly violated, and state the amount of the proposed monetary penalty.

(2) Right to respond. The prepenalty notice also shall inform the respondent of the respondent's right to make a written presentation within the applicable 30-day period set forth in § 594.703 as to why a monetary penalty should not be imposed or why, if imposed, the monetary penalty should be in a lesser amount than proposed.

(c) Informal settlement prior to issuance of prepenalty notice. At any time prior to the issuance of a prepenalty notice, an alleged violator may request in writing that, for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days, the agency withhold issuance of the prepenalty notice for the exclusive purpose of effecting settlement of the agency's potential civil monetary penalty claims. In the event the Director grants the request, under terms and conditions within their discretion, the Office of Foreign Assets Control will agree to withhold issuance of the prepenalty notice for a period not to exceed 60 days and will enter into settlement negotiations of the potential civil monetary penalty claim.

(a) Deadline for response. The respondent may submit a response to the prepenalty notice within the applicable 30-day period set forth in this paragraph. The Director may grant, at their discretion, an extension of time in which to submit a response to the prepenalty notice. The failure to submit a response within the applicable time period set forth in this paragraph shall be deemed to be a waiver of the right to respond.

(1) Computation of time for response. A response to the prepenalty notice must be postmarked or date-stamped by the U.S. Postal Service (or foreign postal service, if mailed abroad) or courier service provider (if transmitted to OFAC by courier) on or before the 30th day after the postmark date on the envelope in which the prepenalty notice was mailed. If the respondent refused delivery or otherwise avoided receipt of the prepenalty notice, a response must be postmarked or date-stamped on or before the 30th day after the date on the stamped postal receipt maintained at the Office of Foreign Assets Control. If the prepenalty notice was personally delivered to the respondent by a non-U.S. Postal Service agent authorized by the Director, a response must be postmarked or date-stamped on or before the 30th day after the date of delivery.

(2) Extensions of time for response. If a due date falls on a federal holiday or weekend, that due date is extended to include the following business day. Any other extensions of time will be granted, at the Director's discretion, only upon the respondent's specific request to the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

(b) Form and method of response. The response must be submitted in writing and may be handwritten or typed. The response need not be in any particular form. A copy of the written response may be sent by facsimile, but the original also must be sent to the Office of Foreign Assets Control Civil Penalties Division by mail or courier and must be postmarked or date-stamped, in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Contents of response. A written response must contain information sufficient to indicate that it is in response to the prepenalty notice.

(1) A written response must include the respondent's full name, address, telephone number, and facsimile number, if available, or those of the representative of the respondent.

(2) A written response should either admit or deny each specific violation alleged in the prepenalty notice and also state if the respondent has no knowledge of a particular violation. If the written response fails to address any specific violation alleged in the prepenalty notice, that alleged violation shall be deemed to be admitted.

(3) A written response should include any information in defense, evidence in support of an asserted defense, or other factors that the respondent requests the Office of Foreign Assets Control to consider. Any defense or explanation previously made to the Office of Foreign Assets Control or any other agency must be repeated in the written response. Any defense not raised in the written response will be considered waived. The written response also should set forth the reasons why the respondent believes the penalty should not be imposed or why, if imposed, it should be in a lesser amount than proposed.

(d) Default. If the respondent elects not to submit a written response within the time limit set forth in paragraph (a) of this section, the Office of Foreign Assets Control will conclude that the respondent has decided not to respond to the prepenalty notice. The agency generally will then issue a written penalty notice imposing the penalty proposed in the prepenalty notice.

(e) Informal settlement. In addition to or as an alternative to a written response to a prepenalty notice, the respondent or respondent's representative may contact the Office of Foreign Assets Control as advised in the prepenalty notice to propose the settlement of allegations contained in the prepenalty notice and related matters. However, the requirements set forth in paragraph (f) of this section as to oral communication by the representative must first be fulfilled. In the event of settlement at the prepenalty stage, the claim proposed in the prepenalty notice will be withdrawn, the respondent will not be required to take a written position on allegations contained in the prepenalty notice, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control will make no final determination as to whether a violation occurred. The amount accepted in settlement of allegations in a prepenalty notice may vary from the civil penalty that might finally be imposed in the event of a formal determination of violation. In the event no settlement is reached, the time limit specified in paragraph (a) of this section for written response to the prepenalty notice will remain in effect unless additional time is granted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

(f) Representation. A representative of the respondent may act on behalf of the respondent, but any oral communication with the Office of Foreign Assets Control prior to a written submission regarding the specific allegations contained in the prepenalty notice must be preceded by a written letter of representation, unless the prepenalty notice was served upon the respondent in care of the representative.

(a) No violation. If, after considering any response to the prepenalty notice and any relevant facts, the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control determines that there was no violation by the respondent named in the prepenalty notice, the Director shall notify the respondent in writing of that determination and of the cancellation of the proposed monetary penalty.

(b) Violation. (1) If, after considering any written response to the prepenalty notice, or default in the submission of a written response, and any relevant facts, the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control determines that there was a violation by the respondent named in the prepenalty notice, the Director is authorized to issue a written penalty notice to the respondent of the determination of the violation and the imposition of the monetary penalty.

(2) The penalty notice shall inform the respondent that payment or arrangement for installment payment of the assessed penalty must be made within 30 days of the date of mailing of the penalty notice by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

(3) The penalty notice shall inform the respondent of the requirement to furnish the respondent's taxpayer identification number pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 7701 and that such number will be used for purposes of collecting and reporting on any delinquent penalty amount.

(4) The issuance of the penalty notice finding a violation and imposing a monetary penalty shall constitute final agency action. The respondent has the right to seek judicial review of that final agency action in a federal district court.

In the event that the respondent does not pay the penalty imposed pursuant to this part or make payment arrangements acceptable to the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control within 30 days of the date of mailing of the penalty notice, the matter may be referred for administrative collection measures by the Department of the Treasury or to the United States Department of Justice for appropriate action to recover the penalty in a civil suit in a federal district court.