“This adds to the already overwhelming evidence that China’s government is willfully assisting Kim Jong Un in his violations of North Korea sanctions,” said Joshua Stanton, who helped write the 2016 law that strengthened North Korea sanctions. The Justice Department last year charged Huawei, which is supported by the Chinese government, with bank fraud and Iranian sanctions violations. In 2017, ZTE pleaded guilty to violating U.S. sanctions against Iran and North Korea, and paid $1.19 billion in fines imposed by the U.S. government. The new indictment charges three defendants who officials say managed the Mingzheng International Trading Limited front company to launder money for FTB. ADADThe U.S. indictment draws on Chinese bank records, including a recorded July 2014 phone call by one Mingzheng manager about opening an account with “Chinese Bank 4,” which later passed on the U.S. sanctions warning.

Source: Washington Post May 28, 2020 16:02 UTC