WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of the Treasury released a sweeping set of policy actions last week, spanning global cybersecurity, counterterrorism finance, and sanctions enforcement, marking one of the most expansive multi-front operations the agency has undertaken this year.
In coordination with the Bank of England, Treasury unveiled the G7 Cyber Expert Group’s new Fundamental Elements of Collective Cyber Incident Response and Recovery, a high-level framework intended to strengthen global defenses as financial systems face increasingly sophisticated, border-spanning cyberattacks.
“Responding to shared collective threats in an effective and coordinated manner has never been more important,” said Cory Wilson, Treasury’s deputy assistant secretary for cybersecurity, and Duncan Mackinnon, the Bank of England’s executive director for supervisory risk. The document outlines voluntary principles designed to improve cross-border coordination among financial regulators, private institutions, and critical third-party providers.
Founded in 2015, the G7 Cyber Expert Group includes regulators from all G7 nations and the European Union, serving as a platform for policy alignment and rapid information sharing in response to major cyber incidents.
Treasury Targets Venezuelan Terror Network in Major OFAC Action
Treasury simultaneously escalated its offensive against the Venezuelan terrorist organization Tren de Aragua, designating an entertainment-industry network accused of laundering money and providing logistical support to the group. Among those sanctioned is Venezuelan actress and DJ Jimena Romina Araya Navarro, known as “Rosita,” who Treasury says helped TdA leader Héctor “Niño Guerrero” escape prison in 2012 and later funneled nightclub revenue into cartel operations.
OFAC also sanctioned nightclub owner Eryk Manuel Landaeta Hernandez, his entertainment company Eryk Producciones SAS, Maiquetia VIP Bar Restaurant, and a series of TdA cell leaders across Venezuela, Colombia, and Chile. Several individuals, including Guerrero’s half-brother, were linked to extortion, narcotics distribution, homicide, and money laundering.
“Barbaric terrorist cartels can no longer operate with impunity across our borders,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. “We will continue to use every tool to cut off these terrorists from the U.S. and global financial system.”
The State Department also increased its reward for information leading to the arrest of senior TdA financier Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano to $5 million.
Sanctions Implications
All assets of designated individuals and entities in U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. persons are prohibited from conducting transactions with them. Foreign financial institutions facilitating significant transactions for these actors also face potential secondary sanctions.
OFAC Hits New York Firm With $7 Million Penalty
On Thursday, Treasury imposed a $7,139,305 civil penalty on Gracetown Inc., a New York property management firm tied to sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, for violating Russia-related sanctions and failing to report blocked assets for nearly four years.
Despite explicit warnings from OFAC after Deripaska’s designation in April 2018, Gracetown continued processing payments on behalf of an entity he owned and failed to disclose blocked assets in its possession.
“Treasury will act firmly against those who ignore our sanctions and aid our adversaries,” Under Secretary John K. Hurley said. Officials described the penalty — near the statutory maximum — as a reminder of the escalating risks for firms that disregard sanctions compliance obligations.
Gracetown managed three luxury properties in New York and Washington, D.C., purchased by Deripaska through layered corporate structures. After sanctions took effect, all dealings related to those assets were prohibited.
Treasury officials emphasized that the goal of sanctions is to change behavior, not punish indefinitely, and noted that OFAC continues to remove individuals and entities from the sanctions list when warranted.
Together, the actions reflect Treasury’s growing reliance on global cybersecurity coordination, aggressive targeting of transnational criminal organizations, and enforcement of sanctions designed to protect U.S. national security and financial stability.
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