US bans transactions with A7 over suspected sanctions evasion — The Moscow Times
The US Department of the Treasury has expanded sanctions against the Russian cross-border payments platform A7, banning all transactions with it and designating it as a transnational criminal organization. US authorities say the A7 network facilitated illicit international transactions for Iran and cybercriminals, The Moscow Times reports.
US Treasury allegations
The US Department of the Treasury said that A7 created a global network of shell companies and subagents to circumvent restrictions imposed by the Western banking system. According to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, FinCEN, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control, OFAC, this network created channels for the Central Bank of Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and entities linked to oil and arms smuggling.
US officials also said that A7 served cybercriminals. By their estimates, the platform's subagents processed more than $17 billion in global transactions between January 2025 and June 2026. The US Treasury accused the network of using forged trade documents, import and export records, and misleading descriptions of goods to disguise illicit payments as ordinary commercial transactions.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
A7's position and information about its owner
Moscow-based A7 rejected accusations of cooperating with sanctioned Iranian entities and terrorist organizations. The company said that it services legitimate import and export transactions involving consumer goods and raw materials, while also ensuring uninterrupted payment settlements for the Russian market.
A7 was established in 2024 by Promsvyazbank, a bank focused on the defense sector. A controlling 51% stake belongs to Moldovan businessman Ilan Shor, who was sentenced in Moldova to 15 years in prison for money laundering. In 2022, the United States imposed sanctions on Shor and his wife, Russian singer Jasmin, over activities Washington described as aimed at destabilizing Moldova. Previously, the United States also imposed sanctions on individual A7 entities over the issuance of the ruble-backed digital token A7A5 and its use to circumvent financial restrictions.
