WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating five individuals and three associated companies involved in a Lebanon-based sanctions evasion network supporting the Hizballah finance team. The Hizballah finance team manages a variety of lucrative commercial projects and oil smuggling networks, often in conjunction with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF), to generate and transfer revenue for Hizballah. The Hizballah finance team uses front companies to generate millions of dollars in revenue for Hizballah and support the group’s terrorist activities, while also allowing key associates and family members, like those designated today, to enrich themselves through these commercial enterprises.
“Today’s action underscores Treasury’s determination to expose and disrupt the schemes that fund Hizballah’s terrorist violence against the Lebanese people and their neighbors,” said Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. “These evasion networks strengthen Iran and its proxy Hizballah and undermine the courageous efforts of the Lebanese people to build a Lebanon for all its citizens.”
Today’s action is being taken pursuant to counterterrorism authority Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. The U.S. Department of State designated Hizballah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on October 8, 1997, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on October 31, 2001. This action supports the United States Government policy of maximum pressure on Iran and its terrorist proxies such as Hizballah, as detailed in National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 of February 4, 2025.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of Hizballah.
More information about this reward offer is located on the Rewards for Justice website.
HIZBALLAH FINANCE OPERATIONS
The individuals and companies designated today are part of a network of revenue-generating commercial enterprises owned or controlled by Hizballah that facilitate and mask oil sales for the IRGC-QF while also providing Hizballah with crucial access to the formal financial system. The network was overseen by senior Hizballah finance officials including Muhammad Qasir (Qasir) until his death in late 2024, as well as his son-in-law, Muhammad Qasim al-Bazzal (al-Bazzal). OFAC designated Qasir and al-Bazzal pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, on May 15, 2018 and November 20, 2018, respectively. Since his 2018 designation, al-Bazzal has continued operating his network by transferring ownership of his companies to other members of the Hizballah finance team with the intention to conceal ties to the terrorist organization. These companies include Talaqi Group, Tawafuk, Nagham al Hayat, and Alumix, all of which were designated on September 4, 2019, for being owned or controlled by al-Bazzal.
Building upon OFAC’s October 16, 2024 action targeting individuals and entities supporting the Hizballah finance team’s operations, today’s action highlights the role of family members and other close associates of prominent Hizballah finance officials in Hizballah’s strategy to generate and move funds for the group through seemingly legitimate business activities.
KEY ENABLERS IN SANCTIONS EVASION NETWORK
Rashid Qasim al-Bazzal (Rashid) is the brother of Muhammad Qasim al-Bazzal. At the request of his brother, Rashid assumed leadership of Talaqi Group, Tawafuk, and Nagham al Hayat and took over the day-to-day operations of these companies, while Muhammad Qasim al-Bazzal remained in charge of the communications with Hizballah.
Mahasin Mahmud Murtada (Murtada) was married to now-deceased Qasir. Prior to Qasir’s death, Murtada wielded influence over her husband on issues pertaining to Hizballah operations including finances and weapons smuggling. She is also the registered owner of several companies associated with Hizballah’s commercial investments. For example, she is a co-owner of OFAC-designated Alumix, along with Fatimah ‘Abdallah Ayyub (Fatimah), Hawra’ ‘Abdallah Ayyub, and Jamil Mohamad Khafaja (Khafaja). Khafaja is also listed as the owner of Securol Glass Curtains which shares an address with Alumix.
Fatimah is married to Muhammad Qasim al-Bazzal, with whom she works closely on various Hizballah commercial projects, including the OFAC-designated Talaqi Group.
Ravee SARL, also known as Ravee Co, is a Lebanese company that aims to generate profits for Hizballah from trade deals related to veterinary products.
Rashid Qasim al-Bazzal, Fatimah ‘Abdallah Ayyub, Mahasin Mahmud Murtada, Hawra’ ‘Abdallah Ayyub, and Jamil Mohamad Khafaja are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah.
Lebanese United Group is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Fatimah ‘Abdallah Ayyub, Mahasin Mahmud Murtada, and Hawra’ ‘Abdallah Ayyub.
Securol Glass Curtains is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Jamil Mohamad Khafaja.
Ravee SARL is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Hizballah.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above, and of any entities that are owned directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.
Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities with designated or otherwise blocked persons.
Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions with the individuals designated today entails risk of secondary sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. Pursuant to this authority, OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
Exports, reexports, or transfers of items subject to U.S. export controls involving persons included on the SDN List pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, may be subject to additional restrictions administered by the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security. See 15 C.F.R. section 744.8 for additional information.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.
Click here for more information on the individuals and entities designated today.
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