The United States slapped sanctions on a Turkish businessman on Thursday for violating US sanctions on Iran.
Evren Kayakiran, 39, was the managing director from 2013-2015 of a Turkish company that distributes motion control products, the Treasury Department said in a statement.
It said the Turkish firm, Elsim, had been acquired by a US company, Kollmorgen Corp, in 2013, making it subject to US sanctions on Iran.
Elsim violated US sanctions by sending employees to Iran to service machines under the guise that they were on vacation there, the Treasury Department said.
Kollmorgen, which reported the violations, reached a $13,381 settlement with the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
“Treasury is sanctioning Mr Kayakiran not just for his wilful violation of US sanctions on Iran, but also for directing staff to commit and cover up these illegal acts,” said Sigal Mandelker, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
“This is the first time that OFAC has designated an individual as a Foreign Sanctions Evader while resolving an enforcement matter, and is a marked change to how we will counter these acts of deception,” Ms Mandelker continued.
“This action is a clear warning that anyone in supervisory or managerial positions who directs staff to provide services, falsify records, commit fraud, or obstruct an investigation into sanctions violations exposes themselves to serious personal risk.”
US companies and individuals are barred from dealing with Kayakiran and US financial institutions are not allowed to accept payments involving him.
