US sanctions ICC president, senior lawyer and BVI company in separate OFAC actions

WASHINGTON, August 18, 2026 — The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye on Tuesday under authorities targeting certain ICC-related activities.

Akane, a Japanese national, and Seye, a Senegalese national, were added to OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List under Executive Order 14203. The action expands US sanctions targeting officials associated with the Hague-based court.

As a result of the designations, property and interests in property belonging to the sanctioned individuals that are in the US or under the possession or control of US persons are generally blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Entities owned 50% or more, directly or indirectly, by blocked persons are also generally subject to blocking restrictions.

OFAC also issued General License 12, authorizing transactions ordinarily necessary to wind down dealings involving Akane, Seye or entities they own 50% or more through 12:01 a.m. EDT on Sept. 17.

The authorization requires payments to either blocked individual to be placed in a blocked, interest-bearing account at a US financial institution. It does not authorize transactions involving other persons blocked under the ICC sanctions regulations unless separately permitted.

In a separate Venezuela-related action announced in the same OFAC update, the agency designated Bluwaves Properties Limited, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands in March 2021.

Bluwaves was added to the SDN List under Executive Order 13850, which provides sanctions authorities relating to Venezuela. OFAC’s notice did not provide further details about the company’s activities or the conduct underlying the designation.

The ICC designations and the Bluwaves listing were issued together but fall under separate sanctions programs and legal authorities.