The UK’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has issued a £1,000,920 penalty against Sabre Global Technologies Limited (SGTL) for violating sanctions related to Russia.
The fine stems from SGTL’s continued business dealings with Ural Airlines, a Russian carrier, after the airline was added to the UK sanctions list in May 2022. SGTL had provided Ural Airlines with Global Distribution System (GDS) services—a technology platform used for flight data exchange and booking—since 2007.
Despite sanctions being imposed on Ural Airlines on May 19, 2022, SGTL continued to issue invoices to the Russian carrier in April, May, and June of that same year. The total value of the invoiced services amounted to $906,576.30.
Three corresponding payments were made by Ural Airlines to SGTL, but were subsequently frozen by a British bank before reaching the company. Nevertheless, OFSI determined that issuing the invoices and processing the payment requests constituted a breach of UK financial sanctions regulations.
The case serves as a stark reminder for global technology firms and aviation service providers of the strict compliance requirements under UK sanctions law, particularly concerning transactions involving designated Russian entities.
