Mafia funds must be frozen
The U.S. Department of the Treasury today added several members of the Camorra mafia to its Specially Designated Nationals List (“SDNL“).
As a result of the designation to the SDNL, all property (money, securities, and other property) of the designated Camorra in the U.S. or in the possession or control of a U.S. person, or U.S. company must be immediately frozen and cannot be dealt with in any way.
The sanction applies to a U.S. person, a U.S. incorporated company or entity, a U.S. based partnership, joint venture, trust, group or any organization (even if Canadian parented) and any foreign branches of any of those entities.
Banks, funds, brokers, trust companies and in particular, charge and credit card companies in the U.S. or situated elsewhere but with a U.S. parent or U.S. connection (such as American Express charge cards), need to take extra precautions to confirm they are not holding funds belonging to the Camorra designated today (or the Camorra designated by previous Executive Orders).
The Camorra operate internationally and are involved in serious criminal activity including money laundering, extortion, human smuggling, kidnapping, corruption, and counterfeiting.
The Camorra were identified as significant transnational criminal organization by President Obama in 2011 pursuant to Executive Order 13581, which requires the blocking of the property of transnational criminal organizations.
The designated persons are Marco Di Lauro, Mario Riccio, Antonio Mennetta, Mariano Abete and Rosario Guarino.