Sanctions Evasion Uncovered Webinar: Red Flags, False Fronts, and Risk Indicators

Sanctions evasion has become a critical point of sanctions implementation and enforcement. As a logical response to the growing use of sanctions, countries like North Korea, Russia, Iran and Venezuela have turned evasion into an art form, using increasingly sophisticated and complex typologies. As 2026 will likely see further developments and renewed focus by regulators and governments on this topic, it is more essential than ever to understand evasion risk and establish mitigation strategies. 

Title: Sanctions Evasion Uncovered: Red Flags, False Fronts, and Risk Indicators
Date: 22 January 2026
Time: 09:30-11:00 CET (08:30-10:00 GMT)
Webinar Fees: £40 for GACO members; £80 for non-members

Training Webinar Outline

As a leading international finance and services hub, and its location as a gateway to the Mediterranean, Gibraltar sits as a key location in the global sanctions landscape. Compliance professionals in finance, corporate services, maritime and trade are facing more regulatory pressure, while expected to recognise potential sanctions risks and develop management strategies - particularly in relation to ownership structures, cross-border transactions, and maritime operations.

How can this webinar help me deal with sanctions evasion?

This immersive training webinar places you in the shoes of a sanctions investigator, tackling a realistic sanctions evasion challenge hidden behind complex ownership, with global trade routes, and layers of intermediaries. You’ll first work through expert theory of how to recognise evasion typologies and top tips for conducting effective investigations; before applying this in practice through a guided, scenario-based exercise which will challenge to recognise evasion techniques and make recommendations on next steps. 

Blending expert insight with interactive exercises, the session brings sanctions evasion to life – an approach that defines Sanctions SOS training, focusing on how evasion actually happens rather than only addressing the theory behind it.

What will I learn in this webinar?

You will learn to:

• Understand common sanctions evasion typologies
• Identify potential red flags from a sanctions evasion context, including complex ownership, falsification of documentation, and trade patterns
• Apply investigative thinking to analyse complex corporate structures and transactional activity
• Strengthen internal controls, escalation, and reporting for higher-risk clients or shipments;
• Utilise some of the common techniques for managing and mitigating sanctions evasion when discovered;
• Grasp the regulatory reporting obligations around sanctions evasion.

Who are Sanctions SOS?

Sanctions SOS is a UK-based specialist consultancy focused exclusively on sanctions. With over 19 years of in-house experience, we deliver immersive training, consultancy, and thought leadership for the private sector and governments worldwide. Our mission is simple: to make sanctions easier to understand, and help professionals feel confident dealing with them.

Speaker Profiles

Ian Bolton – CEO, Sanctions SOS

Ian Bolton, is a renowned global sanctions expert with over 18 years of experience in sanctions design, implementation, enforcement, and policy. He has advised governments worldwide and supported companies on sanctions issues spanning Iran, Russia, and human rights regimes, and regularly delivers Sanctions SOS training to organisations and governments.

With over a decade at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, he led interdiction efforts under sanctions, served as the UK lead for the Proliferation Security Initiative, contributed to the Iran nuclear deal negotiations and multiple UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea (including UNSCR 2270 and 2321), and played an instrumental role in drafting and securing passage of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act (2018).

Beyond his government career, Ian served as Editor of WorldECR’s FISC journal and as a Sanctions Senior Manager at HSBC UK, leading regulatory reporting and advisory work across corporate and retail clients. He has provided written evidence to the UK Treasury Select Committee and verbal evidence to a closed meeting of the UK Foreign Affairs Committee. He is also an ICA Panel Member for sanctions content.

Mathilde Gerritsma – Associate (Outreach & Policy), Sanctions SOS

Mathilde Gerritsma manages outreach, marketing and strategic engagement, while leading the company's Asia research portfolio analysing sanctions and geopolitical developments. She supports and co-delivers immersive sanctions training and capacity-building programmes for governments and private sector clients.

Mathilde has a specialist background in China studies, Russia studies, and international relations, and speaks fluent Mandarin. She is a trained presenter and has hosted high-profile international events. Mathilde is passionate about making complex sanctions and geopolitical issues engaging and accessible, while creating a strong community of sanctions/compliance professionals.