The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury has placed five individuals on the sanctions list for assisting a financier of Hezbollah named Hassan Maqlad and his company, CTEX Exchange, in evading sanctions and facilitating illegal activities to support the organization. The five individuals sanctioned are: Adnan Mahmoud Youssef, Mazen Hassan Al-Zain, Andrea Samir Mchantaf, Bashir Ibrahim Mansour, and Firas Hassan Maqlad.
According to a statement from the U.S. Treasury, "These individuals, including the founders of CTEX Exchange and two of Maqlad's sons, manage companies in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that were designated concurrently."
Details from the statement regarding those sanctioned include:
- **Adnan Mahmoud Youssef**: An employee at CTEX who sought to attract investors to establish companies in the UAE on behalf of Maqlad, attempting to circumvent sanctions imposed on him by the UAE government in early 2023. Youssef was involved in business dealings with Rayan Maqlad and Rani Maqlad.
- **Mazen Hassan Al-Zain**: A business advisor to Maqlad residing in the UAE, who was a business partner with Maqlad and Youssef in various projects in the UAE.
- **Andrea Samir Mchantaf and Bashir Ibrahim Mansour**: They contributed capital for the establishment of CTEX Exchange.
- **Firas Hassan Maqlad**: The son of Maqlad, also involved in his father's dealings through the U.S.-designated company, where Firas works. According to the statement, "Maqlad often involves family members in illegal activities for Hezbollah, including his sons: Rayan and Rani."
For details regarding the sanctions statement, click on PDF.
