# OFAC SDN Name Screen (Official Treasury XML) (`downright_blessing/ofac-sdn-screen`) Actor

Screen person or entity names against the official US Treasury OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) XML list. Downloads the official list once per run, filters locally (exact or contains), and returns uid, name, type, programs, remarks and source URL. Screening aid — not legal advice.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/downright\_blessing/ofac-sdn-screen.md
- **Developed by:** [Joao Pedro Rosado](https://apify.com/downright_blessing) (community)
- **Categories:** Business, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $10.00 / 1,000 sdn matches

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## OFAC SDN Name Screen (Official Treasury XML)

Screen person or entity names against the official **US Treasury OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)** list. Downloads the official SDN XML **once per run**, filters locally (`exact` or `contains`), and returns structured matches: `uid`, name, type, programs, remarks and source URLs.

**Official list only** — no OpenSanctions, no third-party mirrors as primary source.

**Download URL:** [treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/sdn.xml](https://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/sdn.xml) (follows redirects to the official publication host)\
**Search UI:** [sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov](https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/)

***

### What it does

1. Downloads the current official SDN XML (≈20–30 MB) once per Actor run.
2. Parses `sdnEntry` records (primary name + optional AKA list).
3. Matches each input name with `exact` or `contains` mode.
4. Writes one Dataset row per match (capped by `maxItems`).

### Who it's for

- AML / KYC and sanctions screening pipelines that need an **official** OFAC source
- Bid desks and trade compliance that already use CEIS/CNEP / MDB debarment Actors
- Agents that must attribute results to Treasury SDN XML (audit trail)

### Input summary

| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `names` | yes\* | Names to screen (case-insensitive) |
| `matchMode` | no | `contains` (default) or `exact` |
| `includeAka` | no | Also match AKA names (default true) |
| `maxItems` | no | Hard Dataset cap (default 50) |

\*Empty `names` yields a demo row in local mode.

### Output fields

One Dataset row per match:

`query`, `matchedName`, `matchField`, `uid`, `sdnType`, `programs`, `remarks`, `primaryName`, `akas`, `matchMode`, `sourceUrl`, `sourceXml`, `publishDate`, `listRecordCount`, `scrapedAt`.

### Pricing

**Pay-per-event** suggested for the Store:

- **Actor start** (`apify-actor-start`): about **$0.05** / run (covers SDN download + parse)
- **Dataset item** (`apify-default-dataset-item`): about **$0.01** / match

Use `maxItems` as the spend cap.

### Quick start

```json
{
  "names": ["AEROCARIBBEAN", "BIN LADEN"],
  "matchMode": "contains",
  "includeAka": true,
  "maxItems": 50
}
```

#### Local smoke

```bash
npm run local
## or: APIFY_LOCAL=1 node src/main.js
```

### Legal / data source

Data comes from the official **US Department of the Treasury / OFAC** SDN XML publication. This Actor is a **screening aid only** — **not legal advice**, not a substitute for your compliance program, and **not affiliated** with the U.S. Government. Always verify matches on [OFAC Sanctions List Search](https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/) and consult qualified counsel for binding determinations. Attribute results to the official Treasury SDN list.

***

### Português (resumo)

Compara nomes com a lista oficial **OFAC SDN** (XML do Tesouro dos EUA). Baixa a lista uma vez por execução, filtra localmente (exato/contém) e devolve `uid`, nome, tipo, programas e observações. **Apenas fonte oficial** — sem OpenSanctions. É **ajuda de screening, não aconselhamento jurídico**. **Pay-per-event** sugerido: ~US$0,05 por execução + ~US$0,01 por match.

# Actor input Schema

## `names` (type: `array`):

Person or entity names to match against the official OFAC SDN list (case-insensitive).

## `matchMode` (type: `string`):

exact = whole primary/AKA name equals query; contains = query is a substring of primary or AKA name.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Hard Dataset row cap across all queries.

## `includeAka` (type: `boolean`):

If true, also match query against akaList lastName/firstName.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "names": [
    "AEROCARIBBEAN",
    "BIN LADEN"
  ],
  "matchMode": "contains",
  "maxItems": 50,
  "includeAka": true
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Default dataset items: query, matched name, uid, type, programs, remarks, source.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "names": [
        "AEROCARIBBEAN",
        "BIN LADEN"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("downright_blessing/ofac-sdn-screen").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "names": [
        "AEROCARIBBEAN",
        "BIN LADEN",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("downright_blessing/ofac-sdn-screen").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "names": [
    "AEROCARIBBEAN",
    "BIN LADEN"
  ]
}' |
apify call downright_blessing/ofac-sdn-screen --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,downright_blessing/ofac-sdn-screen"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/QiMFyYPhcXCLZdG68/builds/ERsOPyCfQWrSw47sh/openapi.json