TREASURY ANNOUNCES DESIGNATION OF INDIVIDUALS, ENTITIES AS SPECIALLY DESIGNATED NARCOTICS TRAFFICKERS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY

Trade Based Money Laundering Network Supported Narcotics Traffickers Ayman Joumaa and Evaristo Linares Castillo

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced the designation of Colombian nationals Isaac Perez Guberek Ravinovicz and his son, Henry Guberek Grimberg, as well as 29 other individuals and entities, including companies located in Colombia, Panama, and Israel, as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs). These 31 individuals and entities together form a money laundering network responsible for laundering hundreds of millions of dollars in drug money connected to drug trafficking organizations, including Ayman Saied Joumaa and Linares Castillo who were both previously designated by the Treasury Department. In a separate action, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Miami Field Division announced the filing of criminal charges against four defendants, including Isaac Perez Guberek Ravinovicz, Henry Guberek Grimberg, and Johanna Patricia Ceballos-Bueno -- designated by Treasury today -- all Colombian nationals, for their participation in an international money laundering conspiracy in which they laundered millions of dollars for transnational drug trafficking organizations.

Today’s action builds upon the U.S. government’s continued campaign to target global narcotics networks, including that run by Joumaa whose global narcotics enterprises have stretched from South America to Africa and have benefited terrorist groups such as Hizballah. By designating the individuals and entities behind this money laundering organization, the Treasury Department is taking another step to protect the international financing system from abuse by narcotics traffickers, money launderers, and terrorists.

"Money laundering is the lifeblood of the narcotics trafficking world," said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. "Our action against this major money laundering network strikes a powerful blow at the illicit profits flows of criminals like Ayman Joumaa and Linares Castillo."

"Drug traffickers only motive to enter the illegal drug trade is the money, and they will go to any length to hide and protect their proceeds. These bad actors often depend on international businesses to facilitate the illegal movement of their drug profits. Whether you are a successful businessman or a secretary, if you assist drug traffickers you will face the same justice," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Trouville.

Isaac Perez Guberek Ravinovicz, a Colombian national, and his son, Henry Guberek Grimberg, a dual Colombian and Israeli national, lead a money laundering network based in Bogota, Colombia that launders narcotics proceeds on behalf of numerous drug trafficking organizations, including organizations based in Colombia. Narcotics traffickers such as Ayman Saied Joumaa, previously designated by the Treasury Department in January 2011, and Jose Evaristo Linares Castillo, designated in February 2013 are known to have laundered their drug proceeds through this money laundering network.

Several family members and associates of Guberek Ravinovicz and Guberek Grimberg were also designated today for materially supporting the principals’ money laundering activities and/or for helping to manage their companies. The family members include Henry Guberek Grimberg’s two brothers, Felipe Guberek Grimberg, a businessman currently residing in Israel, and Arieh Guberek Grimberg, a licensed soccer (futbol) agent. The business associates include Johanna Patricia Ceballos Bueno, the secretary of Guberek Ravinovicz and Guberek Grimberg, who manages the day-to-day operations of the network from their offices in Bogot

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Guberek Ravinovicz and Guberek Grimberg primarily rely upon the use of ostensibly legitimate textile companies within Colombia to engage in trade-based money laundering. Using bank accounts for these companies, as well as accounts belonging to a series of shell companies in Panama, Guberek Ravinovicz and Guberek Grimberg provide a means for traffickers to transfer narcotics proceeds back to Colombia from locations all over the world, with drug money transiting additional accounts in Spain, Hong Kong, the United States, Mexico, China, Israel, the Cayman Islands, and Venezuela, as well as other locations in Europe and Central America.

Today’s action, taken pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act), generally prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these entities and individuals, and freezes any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction.

This action would not have been possible without the support of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The Treasury Department has designated more than 1,200 individuals and entities linked to 103 drug kingpins since June 2000. Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation to more severe criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million. Other individuals face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act.

U.S. TREASURY TARGETS FOUR ALLEGED HIZBALLAH SUPPORTERS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY
Action Targets Hizballah’s Global Support Network Responsible for Fundraising and Recruiting

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Treasury today designated four Lebanese supporters of Hizballah who are responsible for aiding the organization’s attempts to extend its influence throughout West Africa. Ali Ibrahim al-Watfa, Abbas Loutfe Fawaz, Ali Ahmad Chehade, and Hicham Nmer Khanafer, who are responsible for Hizballah’s activities in Sierra Leone, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, and the Gambia respectively, have been organized fundraising efforts, recruited members, and in some cases styled themselves as ambassadors of Hizballah’s Foreign Relations Department. Today’s designations, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and their supporters, further expose the alarming reach of Hizballah’s activities and its determination to create a worldwide funding and recruitment network to support its violence and criminal enterprises around the world. Even as Hizballah claims to be a resistance organization, its expansive global network is sending money and operatives to carry out terrorist attacks around the world and fighters to the front lines of the Syrian civil war.

"As Hizballah continues to use its global network of operatives and supporters to extend its malign influence beyond the borders of Lebanon, we will continue to use all tools at our disposal to take action to disrupt these efforts," said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. "These actions are increasingly important as the funding from Hizballah’s traditional patron, Iran, is squeezed by international sanctions."

In addition to targeting Hizballah’s terrorist operations, the Treasury Department has exposed Hizballah’s links to vast narcotics trafficking and money laundering operations by both designating the network of narcotics kingpin Ayman Joumaa as well as employing Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act against Lebanese exchange houses transferring illicit profits into the international financial system. Treasury has also targeted Hizballah support networks run by Ali Mohamad Saleh in South America. These combined actions have exposed and disrupted Hizballah’s attempts to expand its influence beyond the borders of Lebanon. Nonetheless, Hizballah has shown that it is determined to adapt and use its international networks to support terrorist attacks against civilians around the world.

U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the individuals designated today, and any assets of those designees subject to U.S. jurisdiction are frozen.

Ali Ibrahim al-Watfa

Ali Ibrahim al-Watfa was formally appointed as the permanent Hizballah liaison to Sierra Leone by the Hizballah Foreign Relations Department, and he is a senior member of, and has assisted in leading, a Hizballah cell in Freetown, Sierra Leone, that is focused on fundraising for the group. Al-Watfa coordinated the transfer of funds from Sierra Leone to Hizballah in Lebanon through the Hizballah Foreign Relations Department.

Abbas Loutfe Fawaz

Abbas Loutfe Fawaz is a Hizballah Foreign Relations Department official who serves as Hizballah’s leader in Senegal, playing a key role in Hizballah’s activities and recruiting members for Hizballah. Following the 2006 Israeli-Hizballah conflict, Fawaz established a group of Hizballah followers and, taking advantage of increased Lebanese nationalism generated by the conflict, became more active in promoting Hizballah and fundraising for the group. Fawaz used supermarkets, which he owned and operated, in Dakar, Senegal, to raise funds for Hizballah and attract supporters. Fawaz hosted a visit to Dakar, Senegal, of Hizballah members from Lebanon to promote Hizballah's interests, garner support among the Lebanese expatriates, and solicit financial donations.

Fawaz traveled to Lebanon to meet with Hizballah officials to discuss security in relation to the potential indictment of Hizballah members by the United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Prior to his travel to Lebanon, Fawaz identified tens of Lebanese nationals residing in Senegal for whom he would arrange travel to Lebanon if Hizballah security officials deemed them to be of use. Fawaz also led a group of Hizballah members and supporters in secret meetings in order to devise ways to increase Hizballah's fundraising efforts and to promote Hizballah's popularity among Lebanese nationals in Dakar. Fawaz was deeply involved in Hizballah's efforts to influence the selection of a director of an influential Islamic institute in Dakar, and was also a key figure in arranging travel for a high-level Hizballah delegation from Lebanon.

Ali Ahmad Chehade

Ali Chehade is the Hizballah Foreign Relations Department official for Cote d’Ivoire, and in this capacity attempted to coordinate travel for Hizballah members from Senegal to Cote d’Ivoire. Chehade, who was sent to Cote d'Ivoire from Lebanon by senior Hizballah leadership, also is a Hizballah recruiter assisting Specially Designated Global Terrorist Abd Al Munim Qubaysi.

Hicham Nmer Khanafer

Hicham Khanafer has been an active and influential Hizballah member in The Gambia, where he has been involved in recruiting and fundraising for Hizballah. He hosted weekly meetings for local Hizballah members and supporters at his home, and he held weekly Hizballah fundraising and recruiting drives at a local mosque.