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US lifts sanctions on Myanmar military-linked businessman's daughter

US lifts sanctions on Myanmar military-linked businessman's daughter

Rule Changes

Delisting comes as Washington opens direct talks with Myanmar's military government

October 10th, 2026: State Department explains delisting rationale

Overview

Updated Oct 30

The US Treasury removed Theint Win Htet from its sanctions list on October 9, after she sued for delisting. Her father, fuel tycoon Thein Win Zaw, and his Shwe Byain Phyu Group were sanctioned in January 2024 for supplying Myanmar's military. Campaign group Justice For Myanmar called her the fifth regime-linked figure delisted since 2025 and said the removals let people who fund the junta back into the financial system.

The delisting came as US officials held a second round of talks with Myanmar's military government in Tokyo in October. The first round, in September, was Assistant Secretary of State Michael Vance's meeting with military leader Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw. Washington wants scam centers shut down and access to Myanmar's rare earths; Min Aung Hlaing remains sanctioned, and the European Union has kept its measures on 105 people and 22 entities.

Why it matters

Each delisting weakens the five-year US sanctions wall around Myanmar's junta, letting military-linked money flow back into global markets.

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Key Indicators

5
Myanmar regime-linked individuals delisted since 2025
Four Myanmar nationals delisted in 2025 plus Theint Win Htet in October 2026, per Justice For Myanmar.
2
US delisting rounds for Myanmar figures since 2025
A 2025 batch plus Theint Win Htet in October 2026.

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People Involved

TH
Theint Win Htet
Daughter of sanctioned businessman Thein Win Zaw
Removed from the US sanctions list October 2026
TZ
Thein Win Zaw
Founder of Shwe Byain Phyu Group
Still on the US sanctions list
EF
Erich Ferrari
Sanctions lawyer for Theint Win Htet
Active; filed notice dismissing her second lawsuit
MV
Michael Vance
US Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research
Leading US outreach to Myanmar's military government
RH
Richard Horsey
Myanmar adviser, International Crisis Group
Says US policy has changed less than the headlines suggest

Organizations Involved

US Department of the Treasury – OFAC
US Department of the Treasury – OFAC
Federal Agency
Removed Theint Win Htet from the SDN list in October 2026

The federal agency whose Office of Foreign Assets Control manages the US sanctions blacklist.
Justice For Myanmar
Justice For Myanmar
Campaign Group
Condemned the delisting

A campaign group that tracks wealth tied to Myanmar's military and its business cronies.
SB
Shwe Byain Phyu Group of Companies
Conglomerate
Under US sanctions since January 2024

A Myanmar conglomerate the Treasury says imported and distributed petroleum on behalf of the military.

Timeline

February 2021 October 2026

10 events Latest: October 10th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. State Department explains delisting rationale

    Latest Government

    A spokesperson said the designation no longer effectively supports US policy objectives related to Burma, citing scam-center enforcement, US business access, and peace-process efforts.

  2. Treasury removes Theint Win Htet from SDN list

    Sanctions

    US delists the businessman's daughter; her lawyer voluntarily dismisses her lawsuit.

  3. Reuters reports US opened direct Myanmar talks

    Diplomacy

    Reporting reveals Washington reversed its isolation policy and engaged the military-installed government.

  4. US and Myanmar hold second round of talks in Tokyo

    Diplomacy

    US officials led by Assistant Secretary of State Michael Vance meet Myanmar's military-backed government in Tokyo, the second round since September. Reuters reports more than a dozen American officials took part and that Japan's foreign ministry said it communicated with both sides.

  5. Top US official meets Myanmar military leader

    Diplomacy

    Assistant Secretary Michael Vance meets Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw, the highest US contact since the coup. Reuters sources say the talks aimed to secure the release of detained American businessman Adam Castillo, and opened the door for further engagement.

  6. Theint Win Htet files second lawsuit

    Legal

    Her complaint argues she has no active role in her father's business affairs.

  7. US lifts sanctions on other Myanmar nationals

    Sanctions

    Treasury removes several other Myanmar nationals and a firm from the sanctions list.

  8. First delisting lawsuit dismissed

    Legal

    A US court dismisses Theint Win Htet's first challenge to her sanctions designation.

  9. Treasury sanctions Shwe Byain Phyu Group

    Sanctions

    US sanctions the conglomerate, its founder Thein Win Zaw, and his family for supporting the military.

  10. Military coup ousts elected government

    Political Event

    Myanmar's military seizes power, triggering mass protests and a nationwide civil war.

Scenarios

1

US expands sanctions relief to more junta-linked figures

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Reuters sources familiar with the talks; Justice For Myanmar warns of ongoing crony delistings

If talks on scam centers and rare earths make progress, the Treasury may remove more military-linked individuals and entities. The July 2025 and October 2026 batches show a working pattern: a targeted delisting, followed by quiet legal closure.

2

US and Myanmar announce a deal on scam centers or rare earths

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: US officials familiar with Michael Vance's mandate, cited by CNA and Reuters

The stated US goal is shutting down scam hubs that defraud Americans, with Myanmar's rare-earth deposits as a secondary prize. A formal public agreement would be the first concrete US-junta deal since the coup.

3

Engagement stalls without deals or further relief

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Officials cited by Reuters note obstacles: rare earths lie in territory held by ethnic armies fighting the junta

Talks could stall over human rights demands, China's role, or the junta's own conditions. Without a public deal or further delistings, the two delisting rounds stand as isolated moves rather than the start of a broader unwind.

4

US secures release of Adam Castillo as part of engagement

Possible Resolves by Jan 1, 2027

Discussed by: Reuters sources cited by The Diplomat

The direct talks reportedly aimed at obtaining the release of detained American businessman Adam Castillo. If successful, it would be a tangible early result of the US-junta engagement and could encourage further delistings.

5

EU keeps its Myanmar sanctions as Washington engages

Likely Resolves by Apr 30, 2027

Discussed by: EU sanctions decisions reported by Meridian; European Union sanctions list

The EU has not recognized Myanmar's military government or the 2025-2026 election, and in April it extended sanctions on 105 individuals and 22 entities for another 12 months. If Washington keeps delisting military-linked figures, the two allies' Myanmar policies will diverge further, leaving Brussels as the main sanctions holdout.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

December 2020

Sudan removed from state sponsors of terror list (2020)

The Trump administration removed Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list after Khartoum paid $335 million to terror victims' families and agreed to normalize relations with Israel.

Then

Sudan gained access to international finance and debt relief.

Now

The deal became a template for trading sanctions relief for specific concessions rather than political reform.

Why this matters now

It shows the playbook the current administration appears to be applying to Myanmar: relief for concrete cooperation, with no reform conditions attached.

2012-2015

Obama's opening to Myanmar (2012-2015)

The US lifted most sanctions as Myanmar's quasi-civilian government under President Thein Sein released Aung San Suu Kyi, held elections, and opened the economy.

Then

Foreign investment flooded in and Washington normalized ties.

Now

The 2021 coup overturned the reforms that the opening rewarded.

Why this matters now

Today's talks reopen engagement with the same military that crushed those reforms, raising the question of what conditions, if any, Washington is demanding.

Sources

(16)
+10
Al Jazeera Reuters via B93 The Straits Times The Japan Times Channel News Asia Federal Register Myanmar Business Journal MediaBias News Dev Discourse Export Compliance Daily The Diplomat The Independent The Japan Times Alpha BBC News Meridian The Irrawaddy