Two East Asia Companies Dismiss Lawsuit against FBI

Washington – August 7, 2017: East Asia companiesWee Tiong (S) PTE Ltd. and Wee Tiong VS SDN BD voluntarily dismissed their federal lawsuit against the FBI. The plaintiffs had filed suit on July 31 alleging that the FBI had overstepped its authority by de facto designating them as prohibited parties under the Treasury Department’s authority when the bureau sent a letter out to a number of banks. In response to the dismissal, the FBI has agreed to send a clarifying letter to financial institutions explaining that both Wee Tiong entities are not prohibited parties and that the bureau’s original letter was not a direction to the banks to block or reject Wee Tiong-related transactions. 

Crowell & Moring partner Cari Stinebower, who is counsel for Wee Tiong and former Program Officer for Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, said: “We appreciate the cooperation, from the very beginning, that the Office of Foreign Assets Control has provided in working with the banks and Wee Tiong to correct any misunderstanding with respect to: Wee Tiong (S) PTE’s status as a legitimate and successful soft commodities trading firm and Wee Tiong VS SDN BD’s status as a legitimate and successful bunkering (ship refueling) company. The private sector-government communication, coordination, and cooperation are essential for identifying actual threats to U.S. national security without unnecessarily casting negative light on legitimate business.” 

Wee Tiong (S) PTE is a soft commodities trading company based in Singapore. Wee Tiong VS SDN BD is a bunkering company based in Selangor, Malaysia. Click here for more information about Wee Tiong’s operations.

In addition to Stinebower, the firm’s team includes partners Carlton Greene and Keith J. Harrison, counsel David (Dj) Wolff, and associate Christopher Pinto.

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Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with approximately 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, London, and Brussels.