US and UK sanction Ilan Șor's transnational A7 money-laundering network

Early this week the US Treasury activated its Economic Outcast operation, labeling the A7 network a major transnational criminal entity and freezing its assets under OFAC authority. The network, overseen by Moldovan fugitive Ilan Șor, is described as a sophisticated money-laundering and sanction-evasion mechanism that channels funds for Russian, Iranian and terrorist actors through dozens of shell companies and VPN-masked accounts.

In parallel, the United Kingdom imposed a package of 38 sanctions on financial platforms, oil companies, vessels and crypto exchanges tied to A7, aiming to cut resources that support the war in Ukraine. US officials highlighted that the network facilitated payments for Iran’s central bank, the IRGC and groups such as Hamas, with reported transfers of roughly $140 million and $1.6 million for oil and arms procurement. All property and rights of A7 and its controlled entities are now blocked in the United States, and any breach of the sanctions may result in severe civil or criminal enforcement actions.