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The Individual Sanctions Screening check verifies whether an individual appears on government sanctions lists, terrorist watchlists, or other regulatory enforcement databases. This is a mandatory compliance check for AML/CFT programs.

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Overview

The check examines:
  • OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) SDN list
  • UN Security Council sanctions
  • EU sanctions lists
  • UK HM Treasury sanctions
  • Interpol Red Notices
  • FBI Most Wanted lists
  • Country-specific terrorist lists

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Running the Check

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API Endpoint

POST https://api.parcha.ai/api/v1/startKYCAgentJob

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Request Parameters

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agent_key
string
required
Use "public-kyc" for individual screening checks.
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check_id
string
required
Use "kyc.sanctions_screening_check_v2" for individual sanctions screening.
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payload
object
required
The individual information for screening.

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Example Request

curl -X POST 'https://api.parcha.ai/api/v1/startKYCAgentJob' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{
  "agent_key": "public-kyc",
  "check_id": "kyc.sanctions_screening_check_v2",
  "payload": {
    "id": "sanctions-check-001",
    "self_attested_data": {
      "first_name": "John",
      "last_name": "Doe",
      "middle_name": "Michael",
      "date_of_birth": "1980-03-15",
      "country_of_nationality": "US",
      "country_of_residence": "US",
      "address": {
        "city": "New York",
        "state": "NY",
        "country_code": "US"
      }
    }
  }
}'

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Initial Response

{
  "id": "job-abc123",
  "status": "PENDING",
  "created_at": "2024-02-15T10:30:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2024-02-15T10:30:00Z",
  "agent_id": "public-bdd",
  "input_payload": {
    // Original request payload
  }
}

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Retrieving Check Results

Once the job is complete, retrieve the results using the job ID with the getJobByID endpoint. Make sure to include the include_check_results=true parameter to get the full check results. 
GET https://api.parcha.ai/api/v1/getJobByID?job_id=job-abc123&include_check_results=true

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Check Process

The sanctions screening check follows these steps:
  1. Name Normalization
    • Standardizes name for matching
    • Handles name variations and transliterations
    • Processes nicknames and aliases
  2. Database Search
    • Searches multiple sanctions databases
    • Queries terrorist watchlists
    • Checks law enforcement databases
    • Searches PEP-related sanctions
  3. Match Analysis
    • Evaluates match quality (strong, partial, weak)
    • Compares date of birth if available
    • Analyzes location and nationality data
    • Reviews additional identifiers
  4. Risk Assessment
    • Categorizes sanctions program severity
    • Evaluates geographic risk factors
    • Determines action required (deny, review, approve)

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Check Results

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Response Structure

{
  type: "SanctionsScreeningCheckResult";
  passed: boolean;
  matches: Array<SanctionsMatch>;
  total_matches: number;
  screening_date: string;
  databases_searched: Array<string>;
}

type SanctionsMatch = {
  name: string;
  match_rating: "strong_match" | "partial_match" | "weak_match" | "false_positive";
  match_score: number;
  list_type: "sanctions" | "terrorism" | "law_enforcement" | "other";
  list_name: string;
  date_of_birth?: string;
  place_of_birth?: string;
  nationality?: Array<string>;
  program?: string;
  listed_date?: string;
  addresses?: Array<string>;
  aliases?: Array<string>;
  identifiers?: {
    passport_numbers?: Array<string>;
    national_ids?: Array<string>;
  };
  source_url?: string;
}

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Example Results

{
  "type": "SanctionsScreeningCheckResult",
  "passed": true,
  "matches": [],
  "total_matches": 0,
  "screening_date": "2024-02-15T10:30:00Z",
  "databases_searched": [
    "OFAC SDN",
    "UN Security Council",
    "EU Sanctions",
    "UK HM Treasury",
    "Interpol Red Notices"
  ]
}

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Sanctions Lists Covered

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Primary Sanctions Lists

  • OFAC SDN - Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons
  • OFAC Non-SDN - Consolidated sanctions lists
  • UN Security Council - Consolidated sanctions list
  • EU Sanctions - EU consolidated financial sanctions
  • UK HM Treasury - UK financial sanctions targets

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Law Enforcement & Terrorism Lists

  • FBI Most Wanted
  • Interpol Red Notices
  • National terrorist lists (US, UK, EU, etc.)
  • DEA Most Wanted

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Additional Lists

  • Country-specific sanctions (Canada, Australia, Japan, etc.)
  • Financial crimes watchlists
  • Proliferation financing lists

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Match Ratings Explained

  • Strong Match: High confidence the individual is sanctioned (DENY)
    • Name, DOB, and location all match
    • Multiple identifiers align
  • Partial Match: Some identifiers match, requires review
    • Name and location match but DOB differs
    • Similar name with matching location
  • Weak Match: Name similarity only, likely false positive
    • Common name with different location/DOB
    • Only surname matches
  • False Positive: Confirmed not the sanctioned individual (APPROVE)
    • After investigation, clearly different person

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Risk Factors

The check may flag concerns if:
  • Name and DOB strongly match sanctioned individual
  • Individual from sanctioned jurisdiction
  • Multiple identifiers match (passport, address, etc.)
  • Recent addition to sanctions or terrorism lists
  • Close name match with known terrorist or criminal
  • Location matches known sanctioned individual

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Compliance Requirements

Individual sanctions screening is required for:
  • Customer onboarding (KYC)
  • Beneficial owner identification
  • Transaction screening
  • Wire transfer compliance
  • Ongoing monitoring (periodic rescreening)
  • Regulatory compliance (AML/BSA/OFAC)

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Best Practices

  1. Screen All Individuals: Screen customers, beneficial owners, signatories, and authorized persons
  2. Use Full Name and DOB: Provide complete information for accurate matching
  3. Investigate Matches: Review partial matches carefully before rejecting
  4. Document Thoroughly: Keep detailed records of screening and decisions
  5. Rescreen Regularly: Perform ongoing monitoring (monthly recommended)
  6. Escalate Strong Matches: Immediately escalate strong matches to compliance
  7. File SARs When Required: Report suspicious activity as mandated
US Compliance: OFAC requires immediate blocking of SDN assets and transactions. Violations can result in civil penalties up to 330,120perviolationorcriminalpenaltiesupto330,120 per violation or criminal penalties up to 1 million and 20 years imprisonment. Global Compliance: Most jurisdictions have similar requirements for sanctions compliance with severe penalties for violations.

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Configuration Options

  • vendor: Choose screening vendor (ComplyAdvantage, Dow Jones, etc.)
  • match_thresholds: Customize match rating thresholds
  • deny_match_ratings: Auto-deny on specified match ratings (typically strong_match)
  • review_match_ratings: Flag for manual review (typically partial_match)
  • databases_to_search: Select specific sanctions lists