How do European microchips end up in Russian missiles and cyber-surveillance tools reach repressive regimes? In this episode, we break down the January 2026 study "EU trade in dual-use items with conflict-affected regions", authored by Dr. Ian J. Stewart for the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA),. We explore the gap between the EU’s legal framework (Regulation 2021/821) and the reality of exports to countries like Russia, Israel, and the UAE.

Discussion points include:

• The "Catch-All" Problem: Why non-listed items (like common electronics) are fueling war machines and evading controls.

• Real-World Cases: From the complex corporate network behind Predator spyware to the transit of tapered roller bearings destined for the Israeli defense industry.

• Data Black Holes: Why a lack of transparent reporting from Member States makes it nearly impossible to track sanctions evasion and compliance with International Humanitarian Law. (Powered by AI)

With the passage of H.R. 2683, the era of unregulated remote access to U.S. technology is ending. We break down the amendments to the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA), which now define "remote access" as a controlled activity alongside traditional exports. Listen in to understand the new licensing requirements for cloud infrastructure providers, the definition of "negligent" access and due diligence challenges for businesses. (powered by AI)

Dive into the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) issued by President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. This episode analyzes the administration's shift from "utopian idealism" to "hardnosed realism," focusing on the return of Peace Through Strength and the transition to the Department of War. (powered by AI)

This episode breaks down the $1,500,000 civil penalty assessed against Exyte Management GmbH for 13 violations involving the unauthorized in-country transfer of items subject to the EAR to SMIC Beijing. We examine how Exyte China facilitated the delivery of approximately 884 EAR99 items—including flowmeters and pressure transmitters—through local distributors, failing to realize that U.S. license requirements apply even to transactions that never leave China. Finally, we discuss why robust screening of local-to-local supply chains is critical and how Exyte’s voluntary self-disclosure and compliance improvements ultimately shaped this settlement.

Our latest edition of our Trade Compliance Podcast will cover DOJs massive signal to the trade community. In this episode, we break down the MGI International case—the first major resolution from the DOJ’s Trade Fraud Task Force. We analyze how a $6.8M plastic resin fraud scheme resulted in a corporate declination but criminal charges for a COO, and what this "carrot and stick" approach means for your 2026 compliance strategy. (Powered by AI)

This episode details the $421,234 settlement paid by Swiss Automation, Inc. to resolve allegations that it failed to provide required cybersecurity protections for U.S. Army technical drawings. We explore how a whistleblower lawsuit uncovered these contractual lapses and the resulting financial restitution required by the Department of Justice.

To understand the impact, think of it like a security guard leaving the vault door unlocked; even if nothing is stolen, the failure to follow the required protocol is a breach of contract that the government refuses to overlook. (powered by AI)

In this episode, we analyze the 2025 National Security Strategy’s aggressive pivot toward "commercial diplomacy" and the weaponization of the American economy. We unpack the document's explicit demand that allies "align their export controls with ours" as a prerequisite for favorable defense and technology cooperation. We also explore how the strategy reframes traditional sanctions into a broader system of "economic leverage" and "strategic tariffs," designed to force burden-sharing and "surgically extinguish" regional conflicts. Finally, we discuss the "Trump Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine and how the U.S. plans to use financial tools to induce nations to reject adversarial foreign assistance. (Powered by AI)

In this episode, we break down the December 2025 enforcement action against IPI Partners, LLC, which resulted in an $11.4 million settlement with OFAC. We analyze how a private equity firm violated Ukraine-/Russia-related sanctions by soliciting investments from Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov through opaque legal structures. (Powered by AI)

In this episode we will briefly discuss OFAC enforcement case with a $4,677,552 penalty on a U.S. individual (U.S. Person) and King Holdings LLC for willfully dealing in blocked U.S. residential real property owned by a designated Russian oligarch's family member. (Powered by AI)

Discussion around the MOFCOM announcement 70. (powered by AI)