Companies fined for sanctions violations: cases and amounts

Cases by country

• United Kingdom (cases: 17)
• United States (cases: 36)
• Germany (cases: 2)
• Netherlands (cases: 1)
• Switzerland (cases: 4)
• France (cases: 2)
• Ireland (cases: 2)
• Sweden (cases: 1)
• Canada (cases: 4)
• Italy (cases: 1)

Cases by sector

• Banks and financial intermediaries (cases: 13)
• Insurance (cases: 2)
• Crypto and payments (cases: 8)
• Machinery and industrial equipment (cases: 4)
• Electronics and dual-use goods (cases: 6)
• Technology and software (cases: 3)
• Manufacturing for export (cases: 5)
• Logistics and shipping (cases: 5)
• Aerospace and defence (cases: 2)
• Metals, chemicals and commodities (cases: 4)
• Professional services (law, accounting, consulting) (cases: 3)

Cases

Cases shown: 58 of 58

Select a column heading to sort the table. Amounts are shown in the currency of the decision and are never converted.

Totals by year and by authority

Sums of the amounts imposed on companies in this list, by currency, never converted. Not included: breaches published without a fine, anti money laundering penalties, confiscations and amounts imposed on individuals. A total marked about or more than includes an amount that the source gives as approximate or as a minimum.

By year

By authority

Maximum penalties set by law

Maximums in the law, as verified on the official texts linked:

• United Kingdom, OFSI (financial sanctions): civil penalty up to the greater of £1,000,000 or 50% of the value of the breach; criminal offences up to 7 years in prison. Civil liability is strict since 15 June 2022. (Official source 1) (Official source 2)
• United Kingdom, OTSI (trade sanctions): civil penalty up to the greater of £1,000,000 or 50% of the value since 10 October 2024, with strict civil liability; under customs law (CEMA section 68) up to 14 years in prison since 22 February 2024 (previously 7 or 10 years). (Official source 1) (Official source 2)
• United States, OFAC (IEEPA): civil penalty up to the greater of $377,700 per violation or twice the value of the transaction; criminal penalty up to $1,000,000 and 20 years in prison. Civil liability is strict. (Official source 1) (Official source 2) (Official source 3)
• United States, BIS (Export Control Reform Act): civil penalty up to the greater of $374,474 per violation or twice the value of the transaction; criminal penalty up to $1,000,000 and 20 years in prison. Civil liability is strict. (Official source 1) (Official source 2)
• European Union, Directive (EU) 2024/1226: each Member State must provide, for companies, maximum fines of no less than 5% of worldwide turnover or €40 million (1% or €8 million for some reporting obligations), and for individuals maximum prison terms of at least 5 years for the main offences above €100,000 and for military or dual-use goods. The offences require intent (serious negligence for military and dual-use goods). Transposition deadline: 20 May 2025. (Official source)
• Germany, Foreign Trade and Payments Act (AWG): fines on companies up to €40 million (§19); prison from 3 months to 5 years, up to 10 years in serious cases (§18). Directive transposed by the law of 5 February 2026. (Official source 1) (Official source 2)
• Netherlands, Economic Offences Act (WED, article 6): up to 6 years in prison and a fine of the fifth category (or of the next higher category). For the transposition of the directive only a ministerial communication was found. (Official source)
• Switzerland (not in the EU), Embargo Act (EmbG, article 9): up to 1 year in prison, 5 years in serious cases; negligence up to CHF 100,000. Verified only in part, on an unofficial text. (Official source)
• France: former article 459 of the Customs Code, up to 5 years in prison, confiscation and a fine of one to two times the sum involved; recodified from 1 May 2026 as articles L. 542-1 and following. The directive has not been transposed in substance (bill no. 2544 pending). (Official source)
• Ireland: a typical statutory instrument provides, on indictment, up to €500,000 or 3 years in prison. The directive has not been transposed: reasoned opinion of the European Commission of 6 October 2026 (secondary source). (Official source)
• Sweden, Act (2025:327) on international sanctions, in force since 10 June 2025 and transposing the directive: up to 3 years in prison, serious offences 2 to 6 years. (Official source)
• Canada, Special Economic Measures Act (section 8): no administrative penalties; on summary conviction a fine up to CAD 25,000 and/or 1 year in prison, on indictment up to 5 years. A wilful violation is required. (Official source)
• Canada, Export and Import Permits Act: on summary conviction up to CAD 250,000 and/or 12 months; on indictment a fine at the discretion of the court and up to 10 years in prison; directors can also be liable. (Official source)
• Italy: companies (Legislative Decree 231/2001, article 25-octies.2) from 1% to 5% of worldwide turnover, or from €3 million to €40 million; individuals (article 275-bis of the Criminal Code) 2 to 6 years in prison and from €25,000 to €250,000. Directive transposed by Legislative Decree 211/2025, in force since 24 January 2026. (Official source)

Frequently asked questions

How much can a company be fined for sanctions violations?

It depends on the country. United States: up to the greater of $377,700 per violation or twice the value of the transaction (OFAC), and up to $374,474 or twice the value for export controls (BIS). United Kingdom: up to the greater of £1,000,000 or 50% of the value of the breach (OFSI). European Union: each Member State must provide maximum fines for companies of no less than 5% of worldwide turnover or €40 million. The largest amounts in this list are: Binance Holdings, Ltd. (OFAC (US Treasury), November 21, 2023): $968,618,825; British American Tobacco p.l.c. (OFAC (US Treasury), April 25, 2023): $508,612,492; Seagate Technology LLC (BIS (US Department of Commerce), April 19, 2023): $300,000,000; Illumina Cambridge Limited (HMRC, Compound settlement (not a conviction), September 8, 2026): £7,438,840.13; Airbus Operations Limited (HMRC, Compound settlement for export control breaches (not sanctions), July 30, 2026): £6,409,388; Citibank, N.A., London Branch (OFSI (HM Treasury), September 2, 2026): £4,732,830.58; LAFARGE SA (Tribunal judiciaire de Paris, Criminal court judgment, April 13, 2026): €5,695,000; Amsterdam company not named (Openbaar Ministerie, Out-of-court settlement with the prosecutor (transactie), September 23, 2024): €195,000.

Who fines companies for sanctions violations?

In the United States OFAC (US Treasury), BIS (US Department of Commerce) and the DOJ; in the United Kingdom OFSI (HM Treasury), HMRC and, for trade sanctions, OTSI; in EU countries prosecutors and criminal courts, for example the Paris Judicial Court, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service and the Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart. US and UK authorities also act against companies based in other countries: 15 cases in this list.

Can a company be fined without knowing that the counterparty was sanctioned?

In the United States and in the United Kingdom, yes, for civil penalties. OFAC states that a US person may be held civilly liable even without having knowledge or reason to know of the violation; BIS civil liability is also strict; since 15 June 2022 OFSI no longer has to prove that a person knew or had reasonable cause to suspect. In the EU the directive requires intent, and serious negligence is enough for military and dual-use goods. In Canada a wilful violation is required. Example from this list: Pegasus Worldwide Logistics (OFAC, 9 October 2026) arranged a shipment of equipment from a sanctioned Chinese supplier without noticing, because of gaps in its checks.

Can a breach be published without a fine?

Yes. OFSI can publish a breach without imposing a penalty: in this list Wise Payments Limited (31 August 2023) and Vanquis Bank Limited (8 September 2025).

Can a company be fined if the sanctioned party is only an owner behind the counterparty?

Yes. In the United Kingdom Deutsche Bank AG London Branch (£165,000) and Apple Distribution International Limited (£390,000) were fined for the same two payments to Okko LLC, a company owned by a designated entity and not itself named on a list. In the United States the OFAC 50% rule on ownership remains in force.

How is this list kept up to date?

Each case was checked on the official source of the authority, court or ministry, and the date of the last verification is shown on the page. The list is not exhaustive.