US Treasury Hits Russia-Linked Sanctions Evasion Network with $91 Billion Daily Transactions

The US Treasury Department has taken action against Russia-linked A7 Network, designating it as a significant transnational criminal organization. The network processes over $91 billion in transactions daily and is estimated to be about 13% of Russia's total foreign trade for 2025. According to the Treasury, A7 Network has ties to Iran, with one sub-agent receiving nearly $140 million tied to Iranian sanctions evasion entities.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) found that over 180 entities processed approximately $179 billion in transactions involving A7A5, a ruble-backed stablecoin, between February 2025 and June 2026. The Treasury's action includes blocking any property under US jurisdiction belonging to the network and barring US persons from doing business with it or its affiliated infrastructure.

The proposed rule by FinCEN would prohibit US financial institutions from processing fund transmittals involving identified A7 Network sub-agents, both in fiat currency and cryptocurrency. The Treasury's emphasis on stablecoins underscores their growing role in sanctions enforcement as Russia and allied networks look for ways around dollar-denominated restrictions.