UNICORN PRIVATE Sanctions fines in Canada: cases and penalties
Canada has no administrative penalties for sanctions violations: breaches are criminal offences.
In short
Published cases on this page: 4. Authorities: 2. Years: 2025 to 2026.
In the United States (OFAC, BIS) and in the United Kingdom (OFSI, since 15 June 2022) civil liability is strict: a company can be fined even if it did not know that the counterparty was sanctioned.
Amounts are shown in the currency of the decision and are never converted.
Good to know
- In this research no company was fined or convicted in Canada for sanctions violations since 2022.
- The Canada Border Services Agency reported, without names, 14 penalties on exporters to Russia (March 2024) and more than 198 interventions (April 2025).
- The FINTRAC cases listed are anti money laundering penalties, not sanctions violations: they concern unreported transactions linked to Iran or to sanctions evasion.
- Luminultra Technologies: the US penalty concerns the US subsidiary of the Canadian group.
Cases
Cases shown: 4 of 4
| Sector | What happened | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commerciale I.C. - Pacific Inc.Anti money laundering penalty (not a sanctions violation)Appeal pending when verified. | Canada | Crypto and payments | FINTRAC | CA$224,235 | The money transfer business was fined, among other things, for not reporting 110 transactions to or from Iran as the ministerial directive requires. Official source verified on November 13, 2026 | |
| MP Technology Services Ltd. (MoonPay)Anti money laundering penalty (not a sanctions violation)Appeal pending when verified. | Canada | Crypto and payments | FINTRAC | CA$536,853.35 | The company was fined for AML failures, including not reporting attempted transactions from wallets exposed to sanctioned entities. Official source verified on November 13, 2026 | |
| Xeltox Enterprises Ltd. (Cryptomus)Anti money laundering penalty (not a sanctions violation) | Canada | Crypto and payments | FINTRAC | CA$176,960,190 | The crypto platform was fined for anti-money-laundering failures, including not reporting 7,557 Iran-linked transactions and flows linked to sanctions evasion. Official source verified on November 13, 2026 | |
| Luminultra Technologies, Inc.Administrative settlementThe penalty concerns the US subsidiary of the Canadian group. | Canada | Metals, chemicals and commodities | BIS (US Department of Commerce) | $685,051 | The company shipped testing devices and kits to a distributor in Tehran, naming a Dubai freight forwarder to hide the destination. Official source verified on November 13, 2026 |
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
| Year | Cases | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | $685,051 |
By authority
| Authority | Cases | Total |
|---|---|---|
| BIS (US Department of Commerce) | 1 | $685,051 |
Maximum penalties set by law
Maximums in the law, as verified on the official texts linked:
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
How much can a company be fined for sanctions breaches in Canada?
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. 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.
Which companies have been fined in cases involving this country?
This page lists 4 published cases. The largest amounts are: Luminultra Technologies, Inc. (BIS (US Department of Commerce), Administrative settlement, October 1, 2025): $685,051. In this research no company was fined or convicted in Canada for sanctions violations since 2022.
Can a Canadian company be punished for a sanctions breach it did not know about?
Under the Special Economic Measures Act an offence requires a wilful violation, and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act requires that the person acted knowingly. There are no administrative penalties.
Who enforces sanctions in Canada?
Violations are criminal offences, investigated by the RCMP and prosecuted by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC). FINTRAC imposes anti money laundering penalties.
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List not exhaustive, based on public official sources. Date of the last verification: November 13, 2026.
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