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Firm linked to alleged Dan-Bunkering Syrian war activities under sanction

OFAC placed Maritime Assistance LLC and five vessels under sanctions after co-investigation with the FBI.

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The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Thursday (27 September) placed one entity, three individuals, and five vessels under sanctions for participating in a sanctions evasion scheme to facilitate the delivery of jet fuel to Russian forces operating in Syria. 

Specifically, OFAC designated Maritime Assistance LLC, a front company supporting the U.S-designated company OJSC Sovfracht (Sovfracht) originally designated for operating in Ukraine. 

Sovfracht is behind a sanctions evasion conspiracy, orchestrated by the three individuals (Ivan Okorokov, Karen Stepanyan, and Ilya Loginov) to make payments and facilitate the transfer of supplies of jet fuel to Russian forces operating in Syria in support of the Assad government. 

In addition, OFAC identified five vessels namely YAZ (IMO 9735323), SIG (IMO 9735335), SUDAK (IMO 8943155), PASSAT (IMO 8523242), and OT-2077 (IMO 9025778) as blocked property of Transpetrochart Co. Ltd., a Russian company designated by OFAC in December 2016 for providing material support to Sovfracht.

OFAC designated Russian shipping company Sovfracht-Sovmortrans Group and its subsidiary, Sovfracht, in September 2016 pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13685 for operating in the Crimea region of Ukraine.  

Following its designation, Sovfracht relied on vessels owned by another U.S.-designated entity — Transpetrochart Co. Ltd. — to make deliveries of jet fuel to Syria.

OFAC coordinated the action with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

“The FBI is proud to have been a part of the team that unravelled this complicated scheme that supplied fuel for Russian jet fighters supporting Assad’s regime,” said Alan E. Kohler, Jr, Special Agent in Charge of the Counterintelligence Division, FBI Washington Field Office. 

“The FBI will continue to work closely with our Department of Justice and Treasury partners to identify and bring to justice those individuals or entities that conspire to violate U.S. sanctions, and in turn, imperil our financial system and our national security.”

Marine fuels trading firm Dan-Bunkering, including another unidentified company, and two individuals are currently facing charges by the Danish State Prosecutor of Serious Economic and International Crime (SOIK) over alleged violation of EU Syria sanctions.

A September report from the State Prosecutor of Denmark, send by the Minister of Justice to the Danish Justice Committee in the Danish Parliament, has identified Maritime Assistance LLC and Sovfracht to be working with Dan-Bunkering.

The original report [written in Danish] can be obtained here from The Danish Parliament’s website.

Earlier coverage leading to the recent development can be found below:

Related: Update: Dan-Bunkering Syria jet fuel supply ops allegedly longer than thought
RelatedDan-Bunkering faces preliminary charges by SOIK with violation of EU Syria sanctions
RelatedInvestigations on Dan-Bunkering over alleged Syrian jet fuel deal start
RelatedDanske Bank casts doubts on Dan-Bunkering reason for Syria investigation
RelatedDanske Bank reported Dan-Bunkering to police in EU sanctions case
RelatedBunker company acknowledges flawed statement in EU sanctions case
RelatedUnioil Supply dragged into Dan-Bunkering sanctions allegations
RelatedDan-Bunkering has not violated EU’s sanctions against Syria, it insists
RelatedNordea highlights stance on compliance after Dan-Bunkering discovery
RelatedDanish media alleges Dan-Bunkering jet fuel deliveries during Syria war

Published: 27 September, 2019
 

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Winding up

Singapore: High Court to hear Norvic Shipping Asia winding up application on 31 July

Application for the winding up of Norvic Shipping Asia Pte Ltd was filed by Netherlands-registered Mur Shipping BV on 8 April, according to Government Gazette notice.

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An application for the winding up of Norvic Shipping Asia Pte Ltd was filed by Netherlands-registered Mur Shipping BV on 8 April, according to a Tuesday (21 July) notice on the Government Gazette.

It noted the winding up application is directed to be heard before the Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court at 10am on 31 July.

Any creditor or contributory of the company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the winding up application may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose.

A copy of the winding up application will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the company requiring the copy of the winding up application by the solicitors of the applicant’s, Oon & Bazul LLC, on payment of the regulated charge for the same.

The Applicant’s address is Hiridostraat 5, Gebouw Prismatrium, 1101CW Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The Applicant’s solicitors are Oon & Bazul LLC of 103 Penang Rd, #04-04/05/06 Singapore 238467. 

Queries on the winding up application may be directed to the following email addresses: [email protected] and [email protected].

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 22 July, 2026

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Legal

Singapore withdraws remaining 127 charges against Hin Leong founder OK Lim

Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges on 17 July.

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RESIZED Sora Shimazaki on Pexels

Founder of collapsed oil trader Hin Leong Trading, Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, has had the remaining 127 charges against him withdrawn, according to The Straits Times on Monday (20 July). 

OK Lim was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges, including those for cheating, on 17 July. The discharge means Lim cannot be prosecuted again for the same offences.

Lim, 84, is currently serving a 13½-year prison sentence after the High Court reduced his original 17½-year jail term in March 2026. He was convicted in 2024 on two cheating charges and one count of abetting forgery in a case prosecutors described as one of Singapore’s most serious trade finance frauds.

Lim was convicted in May 2024 of two charges of cheating the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and one count of abetting forgery that proceeded to trial out of a total of 130 criminal charges.

He was first charged in court on 14 August 2020, and was subsequently handed further charges in court on 25 September 2020, 30 April 2021 and 24 June 2021 for his role in perpetuating fraud on various financial institutions. 

A total of 130 charges were eventually brought against him for cheating and forgery-related offences.

Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Founder OK Lim gets jail term slashed to 13.5 years

 

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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Winding up

Singapore: Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd to be wound up voluntarily

Coastal Logistics was reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

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RESIZED Drew Beamer

Several resolutions for Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd were made during an extraordinary general meeting held on 14 July, according to a notice in the Government Gazette on Friday (4 July).

The following resolutions were duly passed during the meeting:

As Special Resolution

  • That it has been proved to the satisfaction of the meeting that the Company cannot by reason of its liabilities continue its business and accordingly the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 160(1)(b) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (No. 40 of 2018);

As Ordinary Resolutions

  • that Mr. Wong Pheng Cheong Martin and Ms. Koay May Yee, both care of FTI Consulting (Singapore) Pte Ltd, One Raffles Quay, #27-10 South Tower, Singapore 048583 be appointed as the joint and several Liquidators of the Company for the purpose of such winding up; and
  • that the Liquidators be at liberty to open, maintain and operate any bank account(s) or account(s) for monies received by them as Liquidators with such bank(s) as they deem fit; and
  • that a Committee of Inspection will not be formed.

Manifold Times previously reported Nicholas James Gronow, director of Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping and Coastal Logistics, filed statutory declarations for both companies stating the firms cannot continue their businesses due to liabilities.

Both companies were reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd. 

In 2019, several vessels owned by both firms entered the sale & purchase (S&P) market in Singapore.

Related: Singapore: Director declares Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping’s inability to continue business
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping in court over DBS Bank bunker tanker loan
Related: Singapore: Bunker tanker “Coastal Neptune” arrested
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping, Coastal Logistics tankers enter S&P market

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

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