The United States Treasury Department has sanctioned two Panamanian nationals for their alleged ties to a transnational recruitment network. Enrique Palacios Quintanilla and Jack Peter Derman Guzman face asset freezes and travel bans. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the measures on June 26, 2026.
Both men previously served as directors of Talent Bridge, S.A., a Panamanian company blacklisted by OFAC in December 2025. The Treasury Department accuses them of supporting both sides in the Sudan civil war. A third individual, Colombian national Fredy Alejandro López Ocampo, was also sanctioned.
The sanctions freeze all U.S.-based assets belonging to these individuals. American citizens and companies cannot do business with them. The Treasury Department said the network helped recruit fighters and procure weapons for the conflict.
Panama Government Contract Under Scrutiny
Palacios, Derman and López also held leadership roles at Sprintico Corp. That company secured a $1.6 million contract with Panama’s Ministry of Government in August 2025. The contract was awarded through direct hiring, bypassing competitive bidding. Sprintico was hired to rent 500 electronic monitoring bracelets.
The three men resigned from Talent Bridge after OFAC sanctioned the company in December 2025. Derman left his post as president and legal representative on December 15. Palacios resigned as secretary and resident agent the same day. López submitted his resignation on October 17, 2025, though his name remains on corporate documents.
Derman previously served as president and legal representative of Sprintico. He has been replaced by Francisco Javier Trujillo Zamarripa. López stepped down as secretary, replaced by Roberto Jaramillo Posada. Palacios no longer serves as resident agent; Diana Castro Espinosa now holds that position.
“These networks have enabled both sides to expand the scale and intensity of the conflict, contributing to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world,” the Treasury Department said in a statement. [Translated from Spanish]
The sanctioned individuals allegedly facilitated operations for both Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF is a paramilitary group accused of committing atrocities during the war. The Treasury Department claims the network helped intensify a conflict that has displaced millions.
OFAC Targets Broader Recruitment Network
The OFAC sanctions list now includes Colombian retired military officer Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra and his wife Claudia Oliveros Forero. They were previously sanctioned in December 2025 and April 2026 respectively. U.S. authorities allege they recruited former members of Colombia’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) to fight in Sudan.
Talent Bridge was allegedly used to shield the Colombian company International Services Agency (A4SI) from legal exposure. Investigators say the structure hid connections between the recruiting company and the fighters sent to Sudan.
The sanctions also target Indian national Alok Choudhari and Sudanese national Tariq Hussain Muhammad Madani. Three additional companies face sanctions: SBL Energy Limited of India, Ports Engineering Company Ltd. of Sudan, and Target Multiactivities Company Ltd. of Sudan.
The Treasury Department says these companies import explosives, ammunition, uniforms and other military equipment. The Panama government contracts awarded to sanctioned companies raise questions about oversight procedures.
All sanctioned individuals now face a complete freeze on any property they hold in the United States. U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them. The sanctions represent a significant escalation in Washington’s efforts to disrupt financial networks supporting the Sudan conflict.
The war in Sudan has created what the United Nations calls one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies. More than 8 million people have been displaced since fighting erupted in April 2023. International observers say both sides have committed war crimes.
Friday’s action marks the third round of sanctions targeting Sudan-related networks since December 2025. The Treasury Department has signaled it will continue pursuing individuals and companies that facilitate the conflict.