PRESS RELEASES

Treasury Sanctions International Hizballah Network

January 21, 2022

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Hizballah-affiliated financial facilitator Adnan Ayad, as well as members of an international network of facilitators and companies connected to him and to Adel Diab, Adnan Ayad’s business partner and fellow Hizballah financier who was designated by OFAC on January 18, 2022.

The United States designated Hizballah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on October 8, 1997, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on October 31, 2001. The sanctions evasion efforts of those designated today demonstrate how Hizballah gains access to the international financial system and raises funds in support of its acts of terrorism and other illicit activities. These actions undermine the stability, security, and sovereignty of the Lebanese people. Hizballah-linked financial facilitators like Adnan Ayad and Adel Diab have helped Hizballah obtain funds through networks of companies that operate under the guise of legitimate business enterprises. The designation of the Hizballah financing network described below further demonstrates Treasury’s ongoing efforts to target Hizballah’s attempts to exploit the global financial sector and evade sanctions.

“Today’s action exposes and targets Hizballah’s misuse of the international financial system to raise and launder funds for its destabilizing activities as the Lebanese people suffer during an unprecedented economic crisis in Lebanon,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “Treasury is committed to disrupting Hizballah’s illicit activity and attempts to evade sanctions through business networks while the group doubles down on corrupt patronage networks in Lebanon.”

Adnan Ayad, Jihad Adnan Ayad, Ali Adel Diab, and the ten companies listed below are being designated under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists, leaders, and officials of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.

ADNAN AYAD AND ADEL DIAB’S INTERNATIONAL HIZBALLAH FINANCING NETWORK

Adnan Ayad is a Hizballah member and businessman who, with recently designated Hizballah financier Adel Diab, operates an international network of companies. Adnan Ayad and Adel Diab have used their Lebanon-based company Al Amir Co. for Engineering, Construction, and General Trade SARL to raise funds and launder money for Hizballah. Adnan Ayad is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah.

Treasury also designated Adnan Ayad’s son, Jihad Adnan Ayad, who is a Hizballah member and is affiliated with Adnan Ayad’s business network. Jihad Adnan Ayad is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah.

Zambia-based Hamer and Nail Construction Limited and Hamidco Investment Limited are being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Adnan Ayad.

Ali Adel Diab, Adel Diab’s son, is also being designated today. Lebanese national Ali Adel Diab is the Director and Partner of Zambia-based Hamer and Nail Construction. Ali Adel Diab is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being a leader or official of Hamer and Nail Construction Limited, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended.

In addition to these individuals, OFAC is designating the following companies that are part of Adnan Ayad and Adel Diab’s network:

Lebanon-based Al Amir Co. for Engineering, Construction and General Trading SARL, Golden Group SAL Offshore, Inshaat Co SARL, Land Metics SARL, and Landmetics SAL Off-Shore are being designated for being owned in aggregate, directly or indirectly, fifty percent or more by Adel Diab and Adnan Ayad.

Golden Group Trading SARL, Top Fashion Gmbh Konfektionsbügelei, and Jammoul and Ayad for Industry and Trade are being designated for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Adnan Ayad.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the individuals and entities named above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, must be blocked and reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States (including transactions transiting the United States) that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions with the individuals and entities designated today entails risk of secondary sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. Pursuant to this authority, OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducted or facilitated any significant transaction on behalf of a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897. Additional information regarding sanctions programs administered by OFAC can be found here.