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OFAC API: Serverless Sanctions Data Access

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Welcome to the OFAC API—a modern, serverless proof-of-concept for accessing U.S. Treasury sanctions data in real-time. Built with cutting-edge cloud technology, this project demonstrates how to efficiently query and integrate OFAC compliance data into your applications.

Explore the power of serverless architecture combined with critical compliance data.

Key Features

⚡ Serverless Architecture

Built on Netlify Functions for instant scalability, zero infrastructure management, and pay-per-use pricing. Deploy once, scale infinitely.

🔍 Fuzzy Search

Powerful full-text search with fuzzy matching to find entities even with partial or misspelled names. Get results in milliseconds.

📊 Real-Time Data

Automatically updated OFAC sanctions list. Stay compliant with the latest designations and removals from the U.S. Treasury.

🛡️ Production-Ready

Comprehensive error handling, rate limiting, and security best practices built in from day one.

📚 Complete Documentation

Interactive API documentation, usage guides, and code examples in JavaScript, Python, and cURL.

🚀 Easy Integration

RESTful API with simple, intuitive endpoints. Integrate in minutes, not days.

About devs.miami

devs.miami is a software engineering company founded by Robert Melrose, focused on building innovative solutions that solve real-world problems. We specialize in:

  • Cloud Architecture: Designing scalable, serverless systems
  • API Development: Building robust, well-documented APIs
  • Full-Stack Solutions: From backend to frontend, we deliver complete systems
  • Proof of Concepts: Demonstrating technical feasibility and best practices

Robert Melrose

Robert Melrose is a software engineer and founder with extensive experience in cloud architecture, API design, and full-stack development. His work demonstrates a commitment to clean code, best practices, and solving complex technical challenges with elegant solutions.

Expertise:

  • Serverless Architecture (AWS Lambda, Netlify Functions)
  • API Design and Development
  • Full-Stack JavaScript/TypeScript
  • Cloud Infrastructure and DevOps
  • Real-time Data Processing

Data Provenance & Freshness

Data Source

All data comes from the U.S. Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List.

Official OFAC Source: OFAC SDN Human-Readable Lists

Update Frequency

  • Automatic Updates: Daily at 2 AM UTC
  • Manual Updates: Available on-demand via the /api/update endpoint
  • Update Mechanism: Scheduled Netlify Functions automatically fetch the latest OFAC data and store it in Netlify Blobs

Data Freshness

  • Typical Freshness: Within 24 hours of OFAC updates
  • OFAC Publication Schedule: Updates published on business days
  • Processing Delay: Approximately 1-2 hours after OFAC publication
  • Check Last Update: Use the /api/meta endpoint to retrieve the lastUpdated timestamp

Metadata Endpoint

Get information about the current dataset:

GET /api/meta

Response includes:

  • lastUpdated: ISO 8601 timestamp of the last data refresh
  • recordCount: Total number of entities in the dataset
  • version: API version

Manual Update Trigger

Trigger a manual data refresh:

POST /api/update

Optional request body:

{
  "secret": "YOUR_SECRET"
}

Quick Start

Get started in 30 seconds with a working example:

Search for an Entity

cURL:

curl "https://YOUR-SITE.netlify.app/api/search?q=Maduro&limit=5"

JavaScript:

const response = await fetch('/api/search?q=Maduro&limit=5');
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data.results);

Expected Response:

{
  "results": [
    {
      "uid": "12345",
      "name": "Nicolás Maduro",
      "type": "Individual",
      "score": 0.98
    },
    {
      "uid": "12346",
      "name": "Nicolás Maduro Moros",
      "type": "Individual",
      "score": 0.85
    }
  ],
  "total": 2
}

Next Steps

  • Explore the API - Visit our API Documentation to see all available endpoints and try them out interactively
  • Read the Usage Guide - Check out the Usage Guide for more code examples and common use cases
  • Integrate - Use the provided code examples to integrate OFAC data into your application

API Endpoints

Search Entities

GET /api/search?q=query

Search for OFAC-designated entities by name with fuzzy matching.

Get Entity Details

GET /api/entity/{uid}

Retrieve complete details for a specific entity.

Check Metadata

GET /api/meta

Get information about the dataset, including last update time and record count.

Trigger Update

POST /api/update

Manually trigger a refresh of the OFAC data (admin only).

Why This Project?

This proof-of-concept was born from real-world experience with compliance requirements. Many organizations struggle with:

  • Outdated Data: Manual updates that fall out of sync
  • Complex Integration: Difficult APIs and poor documentation
  • Scalability Issues: Systems that can't handle traffic spikes
  • High Costs: Expensive infrastructure for simple queries

The OFAC API solves these problems with a modern, serverless approach that's:

  • Always Current: Automatically updated
  • Easy to Use: Simple, well-documented API
  • Infinitely Scalable: Handles any traffic volume
  • Cost-Effective: Pay only for what you use

Technical Highlights

Serverless Architecture

Built entirely on Netlify Functions, eliminating the need for server management. Functions scale automatically and you only pay for execution time.

Efficient Data Storage

OFAC data is stored in Netlify Blobs for fast, reliable access. The system automatically handles data compression and retrieval.

Fuzzy Search

Powered by Fuse.js, the search engine provides intelligent matching even with typos and partial names.

Real-Time Updates

Scheduled functions automatically fetch the latest OFAC data from the U.S. Treasury, ensuring your data is always current.

Production-Ready Error Handling

Comprehensive error handling, validation, and logging ensure reliability in production environments.

Use Cases

Compliance Screening

Automatically screen customers, vendors, and counterparties against OFAC sanctions lists.

Risk Management

Integrate OFAC data into your risk management systems for real-time compliance monitoring.

Due Diligence

Streamline your due diligence process with fast, accurate OFAC searches.

Regulatory Reporting

Use the API to gather data for regulatory compliance reports and audits.

Get Involved

Explore the Code

The entire project is open source. Check out the GitHub repository to see how it's built.

Learn More

Visit devs.miami to learn about our other projects and services.

Contact Us

Interested in consulting, custom development, or discussing your compliance challenges? Get in touch.

Technology Stack

  • Runtime: Node.js
  • Hosting: Netlify Functions
  • Data Storage: Netlify Blobs
  • Search: Fuse.js
  • API Documentation: OpenAPI/Swagger
  • Frontend: Static HTML/CSS
  • Version Control: Git/GitHub

License

This project is provided as a proof-of-concept demonstration. See the repository for license details.

Next Steps

Ready to get started? Choose your next step:

  • Explore the API - Interactive API documentation
  • Read the Usage Guide - Code examples and tutorials
  • Learn More About Us - Our story and approach
  • View on GitHub - Source code and contributions

Built with love by devs.miami