United States: Export Controls & Trade & Investment Sanctions

Export control is an interesting field of law enforcement. Every case is international in nature, and often the targets include multinational corporations. As the scale of the company increases so do the number of transactions and their dollar value. Add to that the evergreen tradition of new administrations announcing a refocus on enforcement, which often includes a promise to hold executive management responsible for violative behavior in their remit, but rarely follow through.

The global sulfuric acid market is in the middle of a supply shock not seen since 2008. Two independent events—the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping since late February 2026 and China’s reported export prohibition on sulfuric acid effective May 1, 2026...

Import fraud (also referred to as “customs fraud”), which has fallen under the spotlight of the Department of Justice, is any attempt to evade duties, taxes, or trade regulations.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has fundamentally transformed foreign investment rules for nuclear facilities in the United States, allowing entities from 37 countries to bypass previous ownership restrictions.

On April 29, 2026, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) released a coordinated package of proposed and final regulatory actions that together represent the most significant firearms...

This comprehensive sanctions update examines recent enforcement actions by the US, UK, and EU targeting networks involved in scam operations, Iranian weapons procurement, opioid trafficking, and Russian sanctions evasion. The analysis covers new trade restrictions, end-use controls, and countermeasures affecting global compliance frameworks across multiple jurisdictions.

Economic sanctions compliance in the United States runs on a strict-liability standard. In plain terms: you don’t have to mean to violate sanctions to be in violation. For businesses, banks, investment funds, law firms, and multinational executives, the difference between an OFAC General License (GL) and a Specific License (SL) isn’t a technical footnote, it can determine whether a transaction moves forward smoothly or turns into a costly enforcement problem. It’s directly tied to civil penalty risk, reputational exposure, and overall enterprise risk management.

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As global tensions escalate, the Trump administration launches "Economic Fury"—a sweeping financial pressure campaign targeting Iran's oil networks and regional proxies.