" U.S. sanctions RSF leader and shell companies in the Emirates" 07 January 2025

The United States government today took its strongest measures to-date against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese Arab militia group that controls about a third of Sudan, imposing financial sanctions on the RSF’s leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, as well as RSF-controlled companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In a statement explaining the decision, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared, “I have now concluded that members of the RSF and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan.” He wrote that the RSF “systematically murdered men and boys—even infants—on an ethnic basis, and deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence.” [...]

U.S. financial sanctions often have little direct impact on targeted individuals unless they have business ties with the United States, assets held in U.S. banks, or immediate relatives living in the United States.

Nevertheless, the U.S. has taken to using financial sanctions as a policy tool to convey its political stances and to coerce allies into joining campaigns to isolate or shame targeted entities. Moreover, U.S. sanctions sometimes make it hard for targeted entities to transact business internationally, because of the importance of the dollar as a global reserve currency and the wide reach of the U.S. banking system.

The U.S. Treasury Department issued a statement detailing new sanctions against several RSF-run companies:

“Capital Tap Holding L.L.C. (Capital Tap Holding), a UAE-based holding company that manages 50 companies over ten countries, has provided the RSF with money and military equipment. Sudanese national Abu Dharr Abdul Nabi Habiballa Ahmmed (Abu Dharr) is the owner and manager of Capital Tap Holding, and additionally owns or manages several other related companies sanctioned by OFAC [U.S. Treasury Department] today.
“Capital Tap Management Consultancies L.L.C. (Capital Tap Management) and Capital Tap General Trading L.L.C. (Capital Tap General) are Capital Tap Holding subsidiaries based in the UAE. Capital Tap Holding described Capital Tap Management as one of its companies, while Abu Dharr is the owner and manager of Capital Tap General.”
“Creative Python L.L.C. (Creative Python) is a UAE-based company, owned and managed by Abu Dharr, which serves as a cut-out to obfuscate Hemedti’s business dealings to avoid sanctions. The managing director of Creative Python handled financial transactions for Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa (Algoney), the RSF’s procurement director and brother of RSF leader Hemedti. OFAC sanctioned Algoney on October 8, 2024, pursuant to E.O. 14098.
“Al Zumoroud and Al Yaqoot Gold & Jewellers L.L.C. (AZ Gold) is a UAE-based gold purchasing company managed by Abu Dharr. AZ Gold has purchased gold from Sudan, presumably for the benefit of the RSF, and subsequently transported it to Dubai. Algoney maintained access to AZ Gold’s bank account in the UAE, which held millions of dollars.
“Al Jil Al Qadem General Trading L.L.C. (Al Jil Al Qadem) is a UAE-based company co-owned and co-managed by Abu Dharr. Al Jil Al Qadem has longstanding ties to the RSF. Hemedti’s brother and RSF commander, Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo (Abdelrahim), who OFAC designated on September 6, 2023, pursuant to E.O. 14098, was formerly the minority owner of Al Jil Al Qadem. Additionally, Al Jil Al Qadem has been the shareholder of Alkhaleej Co LTD (Alkhaleej), a financial institution which was controlled by the RSF and was an essential part of the RSF’s efforts to finance its operations. On January 31, 2024, OFAC designated Alkhaleej pursuant to E.O. 14098.
“Horizon Advanced Solutions General Trading L.L.C. – Sole Proprietorship (Horizon Advanced Solutions) is a UAE-based subsidiary of Capital Tap Holding. In early 2023, Horizon Advanced Solutions imported cargo from GSK Advanced Business Co Ltd, an information technology and security company managed by Algoney. On September 28, 2023, OFAC designated GSK Advanced pursuant to Executive Order 14098.