UNICORN PRIVATE Sanctions fines for manufacturers that export
In short
Published cases on this page: 5. Authorities: 3. Years: 2022 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.
Cases
Cases shown: 5 of 5
| Sector | What happened | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAFARGE SACriminal court judgmentFirst-instance judgment. | France | Manufacturing for export | Tribunal judiciaire de Paris | €1,125,000 (criminal fine) €4,570,000 (customs fine, jointly and severally) |
Through its Syrian subsidiary the group paid about €5.6m to ISIS and other armed groups via intermediaries and suppliers they controlled, breaching EU sanctions. Official source verified on November 13, 2026 | |
| Colorcon LimitedMonetary penalty | United Kingdom | Manufacturing for export | OFSI (HM Treasury) | £152,750 | Its Moscow office paid staff and suppliers through accounts at designated Russian banks (Alfa, Promsvyazbank, Sberbank, VTB): 79 payments worth £128,278 were breaches. Official source verified on November 13, 2026 | |
| 3M CompanyCivil enforcement action (penalty or settlement) | United States | Manufacturing for export | OFAC (US Treasury) | $9,618,477 | 3M's Swiss subsidiary sold reflective sheeting, through a German reseller, to an entity controlled by Iran's police forces. Official source verified on November 13, 2026 | |
| British American Tobacco p.l.c.Civil enforcement action (penalty or settlement) | United Kingdom | Manufacturing for export | OFAC (US Treasury) | $508,612,492 | BAT moved about $250m from a North Korean joint venture through North Korean banks, and its Singapore subsidiary was paid for tobacco sold to the North Korean embassy. Official source verified on November 13, 2026 | |
| Danfoss A/SCivil enforcement action (penalty or settlement) | Denmark | Manufacturing for export | OFAC (US Treasury) | $4,379,810 | Its UAE subsidiary had customers in Iran, Syria and Sudan pay into a US bank's UAE branch and paid entities in Iran and Syria from it. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | €5,695,000 |
| 2025 | 1 | £152,750 |
| 2023 | 2 | $518,230,969 |
| 2022 | 1 | $4,379,810 |
By authority
| Authority | Cases | Total |
|---|---|---|
| OFAC (US Treasury) | 3 | $522,610,779 |
| OFSI (HM Treasury) | 1 | £152,750 |
| Tribunal judiciaire de Paris | 1 | €5,695,000 |
Frequently asked questions
Have companies in this sector been fined for sanctions violations?
This page lists 5 published cases. The largest amounts are: British American Tobacco p.l.c. (OFAC (US Treasury), April 25, 2023): $508,612,492; 3M Company (OFAC (US Treasury), September 21, 2023): $9,618,477; Danfoss A/S (OFAC (US Treasury), December 30, 2022): $4,379,810; Colorcon Limited (OFSI (HM Treasury), September 30, 2025): £152,750; LAFARGE SA (Tribunal judiciaire de Paris, Criminal court judgment, April 13, 2026): €5,695,000.
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.
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List not exhaustive, based on public official sources. Date of the last verification: November 13, 2026.
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