KWEK KEE SENG

Kwek Kee Seng is wanted for allegedly conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by doing business with, and providing sanctioned services to, North Korea, enabling their nuclear proliferation programs.  Kwek Kee Seng is a Singaporean national and director and shareholder of Swanseas Port Services (S) Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based shipping agency and terminal operations company.  Over several years, dating back to early 2019, Kwek Kee Seng allegedly facilitated and directed numerous petroleum oil shipments to North Korea and ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum oil to North Korean vessels, providing a critical resource for North Korean-based companies and for the North Korean government.  To do so, Kwek Kee Seng allegedly entered into several contractual agreements with other foreign actors, and conspired in a collaborative effort to launder money through the United States financial system by funneling U.S. dollars through front companies to conceal payment origins, and structuring transactions to avoid scrutiny and evade sanctions.  Additionally, in an effort to conceal the illicit activity, the North Korean shipping scheme violated several international maritime safety guidelines.  On April 23, 2021, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Kwek Kee Seng in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, New York, New York, after he was charged with Conspiracy to Violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Conspiracy to Commit International Money Laundering.