US Treasury launches Operation Economic Outcast against the Russia-linked A7 shadow banking network, combining OFAC sanctions with a FinCEN alert and proposed restrictions on fund transfers involving its sub-agents

US authorities identified more than $17 billion in transactions processed by the network’s intermediaries between January 2025 and June 2026, including activity linked to Iranian oil sales and weapons procurement. The accompanying alert identifies indicators of disguised commercial payments, falsified trade documentation and opaque intermediaries used to move funds outside conventional financial channels.