[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62533-62534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19681]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Industry and Security


In the Matter of: Peter Sotis, Inmate Number: 13640-018, FCI 
Coleman, P.O. Box 1031, Coleman, FL 33521; Order Denying Export 
Privileges

    On January 12, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern 
District of Florida, Peter Sotis (``Sotis'') was convicted of violating 
18 U.S.C. 371, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
U.S.C. 1701, et seq.) (``IEEPA'') and 18 U.S.C. 554. Specifically, 
Sotis was convicted of conspiring to export, exported and attempted to 
export and smuggling four (4) rEvo III rebreathers from the United 
States to Libya without the required license or written approval. As a 
result of his conviction, the Court sentenced him to 57 months in 
prison, three years of supervised release and a $300 special 
assessment.
    Pursuant to section 1760(e) of the Export Control Reform Act 
(``ECRA''),\1\ the export privileges of any person who has been 
convicted of certain offenses, including, but not limited to, 18 U.S.C. 
371, IEEPA and 18 U.S.C. 554, may be denied for a period of up to ten 
(10) years from the date of his/her conviction. 50 U.S.C. 4819(e). In 
addition, any Bureau of Industry and Security (``BIS'') licenses or 
other authorizations issued under ECRA, in which the person had an 
interest at the time of the conviction, may be revoked. Id.
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    \1\ ECRA was enacted on August 13, 2018, as part of the John S. 
McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, and 
as amended is codified at 50 U.S.C. 4801-4852.
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    BIS received notice of Sotis conviction for violating 18 U.S.C. 
371, IEEPA and 18 U.S.C. 554. As provided

[[Page 62534]]

in section 766.25 of the Export Administration Regulations (``EAR'' or 
the ``Regulations''), BIS provided notice and opportunity for Sotis to 
make a written submission to BIS. 15 CFR 766.25.\2\ BIS received and 
considered a written submission from Sotis.
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    \2\ The Regulations are currently codified in the Code of 
Federal Regulations at 15 CFR parts 730-774 (2022).
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    Based upon my review of the record and consultations with BIS's 
Office of Exporter Services, including its Director, and the facts 
available to BIS, I have decided to deny Sotis's export privileges 
under the Regulations for a period of 10 years from the date of Sotis's 
conviction. The Office of Exporter Services has also decided to revoke 
any BIS-issued licenses in which Sotis had an interest at the time of 
his conviction.\3\
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    \3\ The Director, Office of Export Enforcement, is the 
authorizing official for issuance of denial orders pursuant to 
amendments to the Regulations (85 FR 73411, November 18, 2020).
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    Accordingly, it is hereby ordered:
    First, from the date of this Order until January 12, 2032, Peter 
Sotis, with a last known address of Inmate Number: 13640-018, FCI 
Coleman, P.O. Box 1031, Coleman, FL 33521 and when acting for or on his 
behalf, his successors, assigns, employees, agents or representatives 
(``the Denied Person''), may not directly or indirectly participate in 
any way in any transaction involving any commodity, software or 
technology (hereinafter collectively referred to as ``item'') exported 
or to be exported from the United States that is subject to the 
Regulations, including, but not limited to:
    A. Applying for, obtaining, or using any license, license 
exception, or export control document;
    B. Carrying on negotiations concerning, or ordering, buying, 
receiving, using, selling, delivering, storing, disposing of, 
forwarding, transporting, financing, or otherwise servicing in any way, 
any transaction involving any item exported or to be exported from the 
United States that is subject to the Regulations, or engaging in any 
other activity subject to the Regulations; or
    C. Benefitting in any way from any transaction involving any item 
exported or to be exported from the United States that is subject to 
the Regulations, or from any other activity subject to the Regulations.
    Second, no person may, directly or indirectly, do any of the 
following:
    A. Export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) to or on behalf of 
the Denied Person any item subject to the Regulations;
    B. Take any action that facilitates the acquisition or attempted 
acquisition by the Denied Person of the ownership, possession, or 
control of any item subject to the Regulations that has been or will be 
exported from the United States, including financing or other support 
activities related to a transaction whereby the Denied Person acquires 
or attempts to acquire such ownership, possession or control;
    C. Take any action to acquire from or to facilitate the acquisition 
or attempted acquisition from the Denied Person of any item subject to 
the Regulations that has been exported from the United States;
    D. Obtain from the Denied Person in the United States any item 
subject to the Regulations with knowledge or reason to know that the 
item will be, or is intended to be, exported from the United States; or
    E. Engage in any transaction to service any item subject to the 
Regulations that has been or will be exported from the United States 
and which is owned, possessed or controlled by the Denied Person, or 
service any item, of whatever origin, that is owned, possessed or 
controlled by the Denied Person if such service involves the use of any 
item subject to the Regulations that has been or will be exported from 
the United States. For purposes of this paragraph, servicing means 
installation, maintenance, repair, modification or testing.
    Third, pursuant to section 1760(e) of ECRA and sections 766.23 and 
766.25 of the Regulations, any other person, firm, corporation, or 
business organization related to Sotis by ownership, control, position 
of responsibility, affiliation, or other connection in the conduct of 
trade or business may also be made subject to the provisions of this 
Order in order to prevent evasion of this Order.
    Fourth, in accordance with part 756 of the Regulations, Sotis may 
file an appeal of this Order with the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
Industry and Security. The appeal must be filed within 45 days from the 
date of this Order and must comply with the provisions of part 756 of 
the Regulations.
    Fifth, a copy of this Order shall be delivered to Sotis and shall 
be published in the Federal Register.
    Sixth, this Order is effective immediately and shall remain in 
effect until January 12, 2032.

John Sonderman,
Director, Office of Export Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2023-19681 Filed 9-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DT-P