US sanctions Nicaraguan gold firms and Ortega allies over property seizures
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control added seven individuals and seven Nicaragua-linked entities to the SDN List and issued a general license for transactions involving Exportadora de Metales Sociedad Anonima. The action was effective April 16, 2026.
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2026 — The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control added seven individuals and seven entities to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List under its Nicaragua sanctions program and issued Nicaragua-related General License 5.
The new general license authorizes the wind down of transactions involving Exportadora de Metales Sociedad Anonima, also known as EMSA. OFAC's notice did not specify in the main text how long the wind-down authorization will remain available.
The newly listed individuals are Santiago Hernan Bermudez Tapia, Feiwu Bian, Anibal Vladimir Matus Buitrago, Lester Matus Tamariz, Daniel Edmundo Ortega Murillo, Maurice Facundo Ortega Murillo and Nelson Francisco Sobalvarro.
The newly listed entities are Brother Metal S.A.; Exportadora de Metales Sociedad Anonima, or EMSA; Grupo Minero Xiloa S.A.; Nicaragua Xinxin Linze Mineria Group S.A.; Santa Rita Mining Company S.A.; Thomas Metal S.A.; and Zhong Fu Development S.A. Several of the entities are identified in the notice as engaged in mining of other non-ferrous metal ores.
The OFAC page also linked to a Treasury press release titled, "Treasury Sanctions Government Officials, Nicaraguan Regime-Linked Gold Firms, and Individuals Involved in Seizing U.S.-Owned Property." No unrelated administrative list changes were reported.
Regulatory Actions
Structured data extracted from official sources and validated by sanctions experts