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OFAC SDN List

The Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List is OFAC's primary enforcement tool — a roster of individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft subject to asset-blocking sanctions. SDN entries include aliases, addresses, identification numbers, and vessel IMO numbers. An entry added on a Friday afternoon can affect a shipment already in transit. Under OFAC's 50% rule, any entity owned 50% or more by an SDN is itself blocked, even if not separately listed. The SDN list is not the complete picture — sectoral sanctions under Ukraine/Russia and Venezuela programs restrict specific transactions with non-SDN entities. We cover SDN search methodology, the 50% rule application, and how to handle a hit that arises mid-transaction.

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