Bureau of Industry and Security - Export Enforcement
By prioritizing its enforcement mission, BIS Export Enforcement has evolved over the past nearly 40 years into a sophisticated law enforcement agency with criminal investigators, enforcement analysts, and compliance specialists who are singularly focused on export and antiboycott enforcement, and work closely together with licensing officers within a single bureau of the government. It consists of the Office of Export Enforcement (OEE), the Office of Enforcement Analysis (OEA), and the Office of Antiboycott Compliance (OAC).
BIS Export Enforcement protects and promotes U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic interests by: investigating export and antiboycott violations; interdicting illegal exports; conducting end-use checks; assisting parties to understand and comply with the antiboycott regulations; helping companies to improve export compliance practices and to identify suspicious inquiries; supporting the licensing process by evaluating the bona fides of transaction parties; aggressively pursuing violators of export control and antiboycott regulations and initiating criminal prosecution or administrative enforcement actions; promoting U.S. strategic technology leadership; and partnering with counterparts throughout the U.S. government.
BIS Export Enforcement Year in Review 2022
BIS Export Enforcement Year in Review 2023
Enforcement Actions
Chinese National Residing in California Arrested for Theft of Artificial Intelligence-Related Trade Secrets from Google
Press Release
March 07, 2024
Two Defendants Arrested for Conspiring to Illegally Export Weapons to South Sudan
Press Release
March 05, 2024
Russian International Money Launderer Pleads Guilty to Illicitly Procuring Large Quantities of U.S.-Manufactured Dual-Use, Military Grade Microelectronics for Russian Entities
Press Release
March 01, 2024
FACT SHEET: Disruptive Technology Strike Force Efforts in First Year to Prevent Sensitive Technology from Being Acquired by Authoritarian Regimes and Hostile Nation-States
Press Release
February 22, 2024
Readout of Assistant Secretary Matthew Axelrod’s Participation in the 2024 Munich Security Conference
Press Release
February 20, 2024
BIS Reaches Administrative Enforcement Settlement with Cargosave, Inc.
Order
February 12, 2024
Russian-Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Launder Money from Scheme to Send UAV and Missile Components to Russia in Violation of U.S. Sanctions
Press Release
February 12, 2024
Former Iranian-Owned Boeing Aircraft Successfully Returned to the United States
Press Release
February 12, 2024
Readout of Disruptive Technology Strike Force One-Year Summit
Press Release
February 9, 2024
Missouri-Based Defense Department Contractor Admits Fraud
Press Release
February 8, 2024
Justice Department Announces Charges and Arrest in Two Separate Illicit Technology Transfer Schemes to Benefit Governments of China and Iran
Press Release
February 7, 2024
‘King’ of Violent Haitian Gang Pleads Guilty to Gun Smuggling and Money Laundering After Government’s Case
Press Release
February 2, 2024
U.K. Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Attempting to Export U.S. Technology to Iran
Press Release
February 2, 2024
Chinese Nationals Charged with Illegally Exporting U.S.-Origin Electronic Components to Iran and Iranian Military Affiliates
Press Release
January 31, 2024
BIS Imposes $153,175 Penalty Against Wabtec Corporation to Resolve Alleged Violations of Antiboycott Regulations
Press Release
January 30, 2024
Reward Up To $15 Million for Information on Hossein Hatefi Ardakani
Press Release
January 24, 2024
Virginia Man Convicted of Exporting Heavy Equipment to Iran in Violation of U.S. Sanctions Laws
Press Release
January 18, 2024
Businessman Arrested for Scheme to Illegally Export Semiconductors and Other Controlled Technology to Russia
Press Release
January 18, 2024
Siblings Convicted Of Purchasing 7,000 Rounds Of Ammunition For Transport Across The Border
Press Release
January 4, 2024
NuDay Charity Sentenced for Illegal Exports to Syria
Press Release
January 2, 2024
Rhode Island Man Sentenced To 68 Months In Prison For Trafficking Over One Hundred “Ghost Guns” To The Dominican Republic
Press Release
December 21, 2023
Iranian National Charged with Unlawfully Procuring Microelectronics Used in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles on Behalf of the Iranian Government
Press Release
December 19, 2023
Departments Of Commerce, Justice, Homeland Security, State And The Treasury Issue Joint Compliance Note Reinforcing Best Practices To Ensure The Safe And Compliant Transfer Of Goods In Maritime And Other Forms Of Transportation
Press Release
December 12, 2023
EDVA Seizes Three Domains Used by Lebanese Hizballah and Its Affiliates
Enforcement Action
December 8, 2023
Belgian National Charged with Crimes Related to Scheme to Illegally Procure Critical U.S. Technology for End Users in China and Russia
Enforcement Action
December 6, 2023
Belgian National Faces Federal Charges for Illegally Procuring Critical U.S. Technology for End Users in China and Russia
Enforcement Action
Indictment
December 6, 2023
Commerce Adds 42 Entities To The Entity List For Supporting Russia’s Military, Including Co-production Of Drones With Iran
Press Release
December 6, 2023
BIS Issues Temporary Denial Order Against 7 Persons And 3 Companies For Illegally Exporting Electronics With Military Applications To Russia
Press Release
November 7, 2023
FinCEN and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Announce New Reporting Key Term and Highlight Red Flags Relating to Global Evasion of U.S. Export Controls
Press Release
November 6, 2023
Readout of Assistant Secretary Matthew Axelrod’s and Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen’s Trip to Ukraine
Press Release
November 3, 2023
BIS Imposes Penalty Against Pennsylvania Company To resolve Alleged Violations Of The Antiboycott Regulations
Press Release
November 3, 2023
Brooklyn Resident and Two Russian Nationals Charged with Exporting Dual-Use Electronics Used in Russian Military's Drones
Press Release
November 2, 2023
Four Arrested and Multiple Russian Nationals Charged in Connection with Two Schemes to Evade Sanctions and Send U.S. Technology Used in Weapons Systems to Russia
Press Release
November 2, 2023
Commerce Adds 13 Entities To Entity List For Aiding Russia’s Illegal War In Ukraine
Press Release
November 2, 2023
Brooklyn Resident and Two Russian-Canadian Nationals Charged with Massive Sanctions Evasion and Export Control Scheme
Press Release
October 31, 2023
BIS Reaches Administrative Enforcement Settlement with Dina Zhu
Order
October 20, 2023
United States Issues Advisory to Industry on Iran Ballistic Missile Procurement
Press Release
October 18, 2023
Bureau Of Industry And Security Issues Best Practice Guidance To Help Prevent High-priority Items From Being Diverted To Russia
Press Release
September 28, 2023
United States-Australia-Canada-New Zealand-United Kingdom Release Joint Guidance On Countering Russia Evasion
Press Release
September 26, 2023
Russian International Money Launderer Arrested for Illicitly Procuring Large Quantities of U.S.-Manufactured Dual-Use Military Grade Microelectronics for Russian Elites
Press Release
September 18, 2023
BIS Imposes Penalty Against Pratt & Whitney Component Solutions to Resolve 13 Alleged Violations of The Antiboycott Regulations
Press Release
September 07, 2023
BIS Issues Temporary Denial Order in Support of Strike Force Case Against Russian National For Illegally Exporting Sensitive U.S.-Sourced Micro-Electronics with Military Applications to Russia
Press Release
August 31, 2023
New York Man Sentenced in Connection with the Illegal Export of Weapons
Press Release
August 31, 2023
Commerce to Remove 33 Parties from the Unverified List after Successful Completion of End-Use Checks
Press Release
August 21, 2023
Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Traffic “Ghost Guns” And To Laundering Money
Press Release
August 8, 2023
BIS Strengthens Antiboycott Reporting and Compliance
Memorandum
July 26, 2023
Departments of Justice, Commerce and Treasury Issue Joint Compliance Note on Voluntary Self-Disclosures
Press Release
July 26, 2023
Suspected Russian Intelligence Operative Extradited from Estonia to Face Charges Related to Providing American-Made Electronics and Ammunition to Russian Military.
Press Release
July 14, 2023
BIS Imposes Penalties Against A Manufacturer of Defense Weapon Systems and A Defense Contractor, Resolving Alleged Violations of Antiboycott Regulations
Press Release
July 13, 2023
BIS Reaches Administrative Enforcement Settlement with Jaeyoun Jung
Order
July 05, 2023
Five Eyes Partners Agree to Formalize Cooperation on Export Control Enforcement
Press Release
June 28, 2023
Commerce, Justice, State, and Treasury Departments issue advisory providing guidance to industry on Iran's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-related activities
Press Release
June 09, 2023
BIS Issues Temporary Denial Order In Support Of Strike Force Case Against Defense Conglomerate Allegedly Providing Support To Russian Intelligence Services
Press Release
June 09, 2023
Man Convicted Of Torture And Exporting Weapons Parts And Related Services To Iraq
DOJ Press Release
May 22, 2023
Commerce Expands and Aligns Restrictions with Allies and Partners and Adds 71 Entities to Entity List in Latest Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
Press Release
May 19, 2023
BIS Imposes $283,500 Penalty Against Regal Beloit, Resolving 84 Alleged Violations Of The Antiboycott Regulations
Press Release
May 18, 2023
BIS Takes Action Against Companies and Individuals for Attempting to Divert Electronics and Aircraft Parts to Russia
Press Release
DOJ Press Release
May 16, 2023
Justice Department Seizes 13 Domains Used by Lebanese Hezbollah and its Affiliates
Press Release
May 11, 2023
READOUT: Senior Treasury and Commerce Department Officials Travel to Kazakhstan
Press Release
April 27, 2023
BIS Imposes $300 Million Penalty Against Seagate Technology LLC Related To Shipments To Huawei
Press Release
April 19, 2023
Nazem Ahmad, a Diamond Smuggler and Art Collector, Dealt in Millions of Dollars of Goods and Services in Violation of the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations
Press Release
April 18, 2023
Federal Court Orders Forfeiture of $826K in Funds Used in Attempt to Export Dual-Use High Precision Jig Grinder to Russia
Press Release
April 06, 2023
Microsoft To Pay Over $3.3m In Total Combined Civil Penalties To Bis And Ofac To Resolve Alleged And Apparent Violations Of U.S. Export Controls And Sanctions
Press Release
April 06, 2023
BIS Imposes 20 Year Denial Order For Alleged Attempted Unauthorized Export Of Communications Equipment To Iran
Press Release
March 30, 2023
Commerce Adds 32 Entities In Eleven Countries To Unverified List
Press Release
March 23, 2023
Iranian National Charged With Illegally Exporting Electrical Equipment to Iran
Press Release
March 09, 2023
United States Obtains Warrant for Seizure of Airplane Owned by Russian Oil Company Valued at Over $25 Million
Press Release
March 08, 2023
Two U.S. Citizens Arrested for Illegally Exporting Technology to Russia
Press Release
March 02, 2023
Departments of Justice, Commerce and Treasury Issue Joint Compliance Note on Russia-Related Sanctions Evasion and Export Controls
Press Release
March 02, 2023
BIS Imposes $2.77 Million Penalty On 3d Printing Company For Exports To China And Germany, Including Aerospace And Military Design Documents
Press Release
February 27, 2023
BIS and Justice Take Action Against Russian National And Related Company For Supplying U.S. Technology To The Russia And North Korea Governments
Press Release
DOJ Press Release
TDO
February 24, 2023
Justice and Commerce Departments Announce Creation of Disruptive Technology Strike Force
Press Release
February 16, 2023
Four Florida Men Arrested in Plot to Kill Haitian President, Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against 11
Press Release
February 14, 2023
BIS Reaches Administrative Enforcement Settlement with Dotphins LLC
BIS renews the temporary denial of export privileges against Venezuelan airline Emtrasur
Additional information on the TDO renewal can be found here: https://efoia.bis.doc.gov/index.php/documents/export-violations/export-violations-2023/1447-e2788/file
California Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegally Exporting American Aviation Technology To Beijing University
Press Release
January 17, 2023
California-Based Company, Company President Plead Guilty in Scheme to Violate the Export Control Act
Press Release
January 11, 2023
Press Release
December 13, 2022
Alabama Man Indicted for Violating U.S. Sanctions Against Iran
Press Release
November 30, 2022
BIS Issues Charging Letter Against Mohammad Alhamra And WEBS Electronics Tradeing Company For Violating U.S. Exports Controls
Press Release
November 04, 2022
Commerce Issues Temporary Denial Order Against Ural Airlines for Operating in Apparent Violation of U.S. Export Controls on Russia
Press Release
October 17, 2022
Bureau of Industry and Security Announces Enhanced Enforcement of the Antiboycott Rules
Press Release
October 06, 2022
BIS Renews Temporary Denial Orders for Aeroflot, Azur Air, and UTair Aviation: https://efoia.bis.doc.gov/index.php/electronic-foia/index-of-documents/7-electronic-foia/227-export-violations
October 4, 2022
BIS Reaches Administrative Enforcement Settlement with Thermotron Industries, Inc. Additional information on the settlement is available online at: https://efoia.bis.doc.gov/index.php/electronic-foia/index-of-documents/7-electronic-foia/227-export-violations
September 30, 2022
Speeches
- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod at BIS’s 2024 Update Conference on Export Controls and Policy, March 28, 2024
- Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan F. Estevez Keynote Remarks, March 28, 2024
- Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration Thea D. Rozman Kendler BIS’s 2024 Update Conference on Export Controls and Policy Washington, D.C., March 28, 2024
- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod at NYU School of Law’s Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement, January 16, 2024
- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod at the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control-Bureau of Industry and Security (BAFA-BIS) Export Control Forum, September 28, 2023
- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod to the Society for International Affairs Summer Back to Basics Conference, July 26, 2023
- Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod Delivers Remarks on the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, May 16, 2023
- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod to the Academic Security and Counter Exploitation Program’s Seventh Annual Seminar, March 8, 2023
- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod to the 12th Annual Forum on U.S. Export & Re-export Compliance for Canadian Operations, January 31, 2023
- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod to the Society for International Affairs 2022 Fall Advanced Conference, November 14, 2022
- Remarks As Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod at Oregon State University on the Academic Outreach Initiative, October 26, 2022
- Remarks As Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod to the American Jewish Committee, October 6, 2022
- Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod Remarks to the Southeast Asia Forum on Export Controls, September 15, 2022
- Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod Remarks at BIS’s 2022 Update Conference on Export Controls and Policy, June 30, 2022
- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod at the National Association of College and University Attorneys 2022 Annual Conference, June 28, 2022
- Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Axelrod Delivers Remarks to the Society for International Affairs 2022 Spring Virtual Advanced Conference on Export Controls and International Politics, May 16, 2022
- Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod Remarks to the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Illinois Division, on Enforcement Actions to Disrupt Russia's Invasion of Ukraine, April 21, 2022
Russia - Belarus Resources
In response to the Russian Federation’s (Russia’s) invasion of Ukraine, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has taken swift and severe action to impose stringent export controls on Russia. These restrictions have also been applied to Belarus in response to its substantial enabling of Russia’s invasion.
- For a compendium of BIS action related to the conflict in Ukraine, click here
- Current BIS List of Commercial and Private Aircraft in potential violation of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) - Full List As of June 24, 2022: BIS List of Commercial and Private Aircraft_Potential EAR Violations.pdf
Enforcement Resources
Effective implementation of the EAR is a shared responsibility, and BIS’s Export Enforcement stands ready to educate and support U.S. exporters and other stakeholders in ensuring compliance and where necessary employing its law enforcement authorities to address illicit activities.
