OFAC
US Office of Foreign Assets Control — the agency behind US economic sanctions programs.
OFAC administers and enforces US economic and trade sanctions. Its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List is one important screening source, alongside other lists and program-specific restrictions.
Civil sanctions liability can arise without knowledge of a violation, while enforcement considers the applicable facts and rules. A screening result is not a legal determination about a transaction.
Lists are not the whole program
OFAC restrictions may involve designated parties, ownership rules, prohibited activities, and program-specific conditions. The SDN List is important but not the complete test for whether a transaction is allowed. Review the relevant official program information and guidance for the actual parties and activity.
Build a review record
Document which parties, identifiers, ownership information, and transaction details were considered. Record when the review occurred and why a potential match was resolved or escalated. The record should allow another qualified reviewer to understand the reasoning rather than seeing only a pass or fail label.
Keep risk guidance separate from permission
A commercial tool cannot grant an OFAC license or make a legal determination that every transaction is lawful. Civil liability and enforcement considerations are fact-specific. Refer uncertain cases to appropriate specialists and current official guidance; do not rely solely on a news summary or a name-screening result.
Related terms
See how Scarlet Risk covers OFAC.
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