Overview
- The Treasury Department sanctioned Maurice Ortega and Daniel Edmundo Ortega along with officials and companies tied to Nicaragua’s gold industry.
- Treasury officials said corruption in the gold sector has been used to fill government coffers.
- Some of those named took part in last year’s seizure of a mining company that included U.S. investments.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. will not allow illicit confiscation of American-owned assets and will keep targeting regime revenue streams.
- The action follows years of repression since 2018 and a U.N. finding in March that corruption finances systemic political control.