Ownership-control risk

Risk can hide behind ownership.

A company may not appear on a sanctions list and still create sanctions exposure through ownership or control. Verifex is expanding screening beyond names into ownership-chain context and OFAC 50% Rule risk workflows.

Ownership graph

How ownership risk propagates

Sanctioned Owner A

35% ownership

Sanctioned Owner B

35% ownership

70% aggregate ownership

Counterparty Risk Detected

Sanctions exposure triggered by 50%+ aggregate beneficial ownership.

Capabilities

Ownership-control risk workflows

GLEIF-based context

Legal Entity Identifier lookup where GLEIF data is available. Legal name, jurisdiction, registration status, direct parent, and ultimate parent entity.

OFAC 50% Rule direction

Aggregate sanctioned ownership percentage calculation where source data supports it. Flag any entity that may breach the 50% threshold based on available evidence.

Documented evidence

Every ownership check is logged with the available ownership context, calculated percentages where data supports it, and sanctioned entity references.

Manual-enhanced reports

Where official registries are incomplete, Verifex supplements with manual-enhanced reports and clear confidence flags. Not automated everywhere.

Clear limitations

Coverage varies by jurisdiction. UBO automation is not available everywhere. Every report includes known data gaps and analyst confidence levels.

Reviewable output

Structured JSON with source URLs, analyst notes, and Evidence Capsule ID. Retrievable for compliance review months later. PDF export is on the roadmap.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO)?

UBO refers to the natural person(s) who ultimately own or control a legal entity. Understanding UBO is critical for sanctions compliance because a company may not appear on a sanctions list but still create exposure through sanctioned owners.

How does Verifex calculate OFAC 50% Rule risk?

Verifex traverses corporate ownership chains where source data supports it, sums sanctioned ownership percentages at each level, and flags entities where the aggregate equals or exceeds 50%. This is analytical support, not a legal determination of blocking status.

What if official registry data is incomplete?

UBO automation coverage varies by jurisdiction. Where official registries are incomplete, Verifex supplements with manual-enhanced reports and clear confidence flags. Every report includes known data gaps and analyst confidence levels.

Can I integrate UBO screening with sanctions screening?

Yes. Verifex supports combined entity and UBO screening workflows. You can screen a company for sanctions, retrieve its ownership chain, and assess OFAC 50% Rule risk in a single integrated flow.

Important limitation: UBO automation coverage varies by jurisdiction. Where official registries are incomplete, Verifex supplements with manual-enhanced reports and clear confidence flags. Ownership-chain visibility depends on source data availability. Not all jurisdictions provide public beneficial ownership records. This is not a substitute for legal advice or qualified compliance review.

Get started

Request an ownership-risk pilot

Start with a manual-enhanced ownership risk report. We will review your counterparty and deliver a structured dossier with available ownership context.