For purposes of implementing section 233 of CAATSA, OFAC anticipates interpreting these key terms as follows:
“investment” – For purposes of implementing section 233 of CAATSA, OFAC will interpret the term “investment” broadly as a transaction that constitutes a commitment or contribution of funds or other assets or a loan or other extension of credit to an enterprise. For purposes of this interpretation, a loan or extension of credit is any transfer or extension of funds or credit on the basis of an obligation to repay, or any assumption or guarantee of the obligation of another to repay an extension of funds or credit, including: overdrafts, currency swaps, purchases of debt securities issued by the Government of Russia, purchases of a loan made by another person, sales of financial assets subject to an agreement to repurchase, renewals or refinancings whereby funds or credits are transferred or extended to a borrower or recipient described in the provision, the issuance of standby letters of credit, and drawdowns on existing lines of credit.
“facilitates” – For purposes of implementing section 233 of CAATSA, OFAC will interpret “facilitates” to mean the provision of assistance for certain efforts, activities, or transactions, including the provision of currency, financial instruments, securities, or any other transmission of value; purchasing, selling, transporting, swapping, brokering, financing, approving, or guaranteeing; the provision of other services of any kind; the provision of personnel; or the provision of software, technology, or goods of any kind.
“unjustly benefits” – For purposes of implementing section 233 of CAATSA, OFAC will interpret the term “unjustly benefits” broadly to refer to activities such as public corruption that result in any direct or indirect advantage, value, or gain, whether the benefit is tangible or intangible, by officials of the Government of the Russian Federation, or their close associates or family members. Such public corruption could include, among other things, the misuse of Russian public assets or the misuse of public authority.
“close associates or family members” – For purposes of implementing section 233 of CAATSA, OFAC will interpret the term “close associate” of an official of the Government of the Russian Federation as a person who is widely or publicly known, or is actually known by the relevant person engaging in the conduct in question, to maintain a close relationship with that official. OFAC will interpret the term “family member” of an official of the Government of the Russian Federation to include parents, spouses (current and former), extramarital partners, children, siblings, uncles, aunts, grandparents, grandchildren, first cousins, stepchildren, stepsiblings, parents-in-law, and spouses of any of the foregoing.