Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The United States blacklisted four people and four entities on Wednesday as the Biden administration continues to target U.S.-designated Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik with punitive measures.
Milorad Dodik, the president of Republika Srpska -- one of two entities that make up the Balkan nation of Bosnia and Herzegovina -- was sanctioned by the United States in 2022 for corruption and secession activities, which the Biden administration said threatened a quarter century of peace in the Western Balkans.
U.S. officials accuse the 65-year-old and his family of repeatedly obfuscating their control of entities by manipulating management structures and re-registering companies in order to evade sanctions. A number of his family members, including his son, Igor Dodik, and daughter, Gorica Dodik, have also been blacklisted.
"Dodik and his family continue to rely on trusted associates to obfuscate their involvement in new business ventures, enriching themselves and their cronies while trying to circumvent U.S. sanctions," Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley Smith said in a statement.
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"The United States will continue to expose these efforts and hold accountable the individuals enabling these schemes."
Among those sanctioned Wednesday were three individuals and four Bosnia and Herzegovina-based entities accused of being part of Dodik's financial and sanctions evasion network.
One of the entities targeted was information technology services firm Nimbus Innovations. According to Treasury officials, Nimbus was previously called Sirius 2010, but changed its name after Sirius was sanctioned in June. Treasury officials said Nimbus operates from the same location as Sirius and assumed its assets, operation and liabilities as well as ownership. The firm is under the direction of Igor Dodik.
The Treasury noted that Igor Dodik uses family members to increase the number of entities within his patronage network. His 33-year-old cousin, Aleksandar Dobric, was sanctioned Wednesday for establishing Republika Srpska-based Agape Best, which was re-christened Best Service after the original name was listed for sanctions in October 2023.
Mirko Dobric, the 56-year-old father of Aleksandar Dobric, was also sanctioned Wednesday of co-owning U.S. designated Fruit Echo with Igor Dodik.
Smiliary, after being designated, Fruit Echo became Zelena Jabuka, which was also designated Wednesday.
Vlatko Vukotic, 47, was also hit for owning and directing Republika Srpska-based Vorto. Treasury officials allege that Igor Dodik gives guidance and directions on how Vorto should be run.
The fourth individual sanctioned was 49-year-old Stasa Kosarac, the Bosnia and Herzegovina's minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations and a high-ranking member of Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats political party. Treasury officials accuse him of conspiring to use his position to undermine the efficacy of state level institutions for Milorad Dodik's benefit.
"The Dodik network has continued its deliberate attempts to circumvent U.S sanctions, namely by manipulating management structures and re-registering designated companies under new names," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Wednesday in a statement.
"Today's action further exposes the Dodik family's blatant and corrupt attempts to enrich themselves and to circumvent U.S. sanctions."
