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982. Are U.S. funds allowed to buy or sell debt or equity of blocked Russian financial institutions?  Are U.S. investors allowed to invest in a fund that holds debt or equity of a blocked Russian financial institution?

Answer

Unless otherwise authorized, U.S. persons may not buy or sell debt or equity of the Russian financial institutions blocked pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024.  Accordingly, a U.S. fund may not buy, sell, or otherwise engage in transactions related to debt or equity of such blocked Russian financial institutions, and must block such holdings, unless exempt or otherwise authorized by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).  A U.S. fund that contains such blocked holdings generally is not itself considered a blocked entity unless such blocked holdings represent a 50 percent or more share by value of the fund.  If such blocked holdings do not represent a 50 percent or more share by value of the fund, U.S. persons may continue to invest in it, and the fund is not considered blocked.  The fund may divest itself of blocked holdings to the extent authorized by OFAC.

Date Updated: January 17, 2023

Date Released
February 24, 2022