FOKKER SERVICES B.V. SETTLES WITH TREASURY FOR $21 MILLION FOR OFAC VIOLATIONS
July 9, 2014
Fokker Services B.V. (Fokker), a Dutch aerospace services provider, settled with the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Justice, and Treasury on June 5, 2014 for a total monetary penalty of $21 million for engaging in illegal transactions with customers in Iran, Sudan, and Burma. According to the U.S. government, Fokker used “work-arounds” to circumvent trade laws and export aircraft parts, technology, and services to these jurisdictions. It also allegedly falsified documents, deleted references to transactions with Iran and avoided working with U.S. companies with strong export law compliance programs.
In forfeiting the $21 million, Fokker took responsibility for willingly and knowingly committing criminal conduct including over 1,150 violations committed between 2005 and 2010. As a result of the investigation and settlement, Fokker has implemented a new compliance program in hopes of avoiding these kinds of issues in the future and has ceased all business with the sanctioned countries. Fokker has also closed its Iranian office and made changes to its contractual language and user agreements with customers.