The United States ambassador accredited near Monrovia, Michael A. McCarthy, has warned that those still doing business with sanctioned individuals may themselves be exposed to sanctions or subject to an enforcement action.
According to Ambassador McCarthy, it was important to draw attention to the US Treasury Department’s notification, and that it applies not only to those who transact with the three recently sanctioned individuals, Nathaniel McGill, Bill Twehway and Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus, but also with the other two individuals sanctioned under Global Magnitsky in recent years: Senator Prince Y. Johnson and Senator Varney Sherman.
The warning was contained in Ambassador McCarthy’s remarks at the Press Roundtable with Acting Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs, Elizabeth Trudeau, on Monday, November 14, 2022. Trudeau is in country to meet with key members of the media and civil society to better understand the status of media freedom, civil society, and government accountability in Liberia.
He said, “I also want to note that it was three months ago, almost to the day, that I announced to you in this room the Treasury Department’s Global Magnitsky sanctions of Nathaniel McGill, Bill Twehway, and Syrenius Cephus. I think it’s important to draw our attention back to the Treasury Department’s statement, specifically its notification that persons that engage in certain transactions with these sanctioned individuals “may themselves be exposed to sanctions or subject to an enforcement action. “Furthermore, unless an exception applies, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transaction for any of the individuals or entities could be subject to U.S. sanctions.” This applies not only to those who transact with these three individuals, but also with the other two individuals sanctioned under Global Magnitsky in recent years: Senator Prince Y. Johnson and Senator Varney Sherman.”