The Treasury Department on Thursday issued economic restrictions against A7, a Russian company that has helped to circumvent Western sanctions imposed after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. In a statement, the Treasury Department described how A7 developed a web of companies to help sanctioned businesses, people and governments, including Iran, buy goods from around the world — for both domestic and military purposes.
The action Thursday followed reporting by The New York Times that detailed how A7 used more than 70 shell companies around the world to move funds on behalf of restricted Russian businesses. A recent investigation by The Financial Times found similar illicit activity. A7 built a custom app, using artificial intelligence, to create fraudulent trade records, The Times found. And it has relied on cryptocurrencies to help launder money on behalf of Russian clients, allowing some to buy sensitive components used in weapons and drones.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control, a division of Treasury that enforces economic and trade sanctions, designated A7 a significant transnational criminal organization. Elements of the network were previously sanctioned in August 2025. In a news release, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “Today’s action targeting A7 continues Treasury’s unprecedented efforts to isolate Iran and its financial enablers and sends a clear message that if you facilitate illicit finance for America’s adversaries, you will lose access to the U.S. financial system.”
The Treasury Department on Thursday also moved to tighten economic restrictions on Iran, targeting elements of the country’s industrial base, including automotive, rail and mining sectors. This is a developing story.
Source: New York Times Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing