OFAC Sanctions Change Digest | SDN List Monitor

Maintain strict compliance by extracting structured updates directly from the official OFAC website using this dedicated SDN List scraper. Global compliance teams and risk managers use this tool to scrape the Specially Designated Nationals database, reliably tracking entity additions and removals at scale. Instead of writing complex parsers to monitor fragile government websites in a browser, you can set up scheduled weekly or daily runs to automatically detect sanctions changes. By configuring custom watch-terms, you can search the scraped data for specific counterparty names, generating a concise change digest that instantly flags new risks. Extract deep granular details directly from the web, outputting comprehensive profiles for every flagged individual or organization. The actor outputs rich JSON data, including a nested entries array containing raw SDN records, a precise diff object highlighting exact changes between runs, and a matchedAliases field for exact name screening hits. Whether you need to integrate these results into internal compliance tools via API, export the targeted URLs to a dashboard, use the extracted details to verify contact information, or send alerts to an email address, this scraper streamlines the workflow. Stop worrying about missed updates and start using automated snapshot-backed change detection to maintain an accurate internal database.

Store Quickstart

• Start with store-input.example.json for a two-watch (SDGT entities + Cuba programs) dataset run.
• If that matches your workflow, switch to store-input.templates.json and pick one of:
  • SDGT Quickstart (2-program starter) for first-run validation
  • Named Entity Watch for counterparty name-screening against the SDN list
  • Russia & Iran Program Digest for geo-targeted sanctions tracking
  • Individuals-Only Watch for people-focused screening
  • Webhook Upgrade for compliance automation with action-needed handoff

Key Features

• 📋 Summary-first output — 1 watch = 1 digest row; raw SDN entries nested under entries
• 🔄 Change detection — snapshot-backed diff flags new additions and list removals between runs
• 🔍 Name screening — watch-term matching across SDN entry names and all aliases (case-insensitive)
• 🗂️ Program & type filtering — scope any watch to OFAC program codes or entity types
• 🪝 Webhook delivery — route action-needed digests to Slack, compliance tools, or any HTTP endpoint
• ✅ No auth required — OFAC publishes the SDN XML as a public feed

Use Cases

Who	Why
Compliance teams	Daily/weekly digest of SDN additions for counterparty screening
AML/KYC workflows	Name-match alerting when specific entities appear on the list
Risk systems	Track geo-targeted programs (Russia, Iran, Cuba) for jurisdictional exposure
Procurement & finance	Verify vendors/suppliers haven't been added to the SDN list

Input

Field	Type	Default	Description
watches	array	—	One entry per watch target. Each watch produces one summary digest row. Set programs and/or sdnTypes to narrow the scope
sdnXmlUrl	string	"https://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/sdn.xml"	Override the OFAC SDN XML feed URL. The default legacy URL (https://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/sdn.xml) redirects t
maxEntriesPerWatch	integer	50	Default upper bound on SDN entries in the nested output per watch. Can be overridden per-watch with the maxEntries field
requestTimeoutSeconds	integer	60	Timeout for the SDN XML fetch. The file is several MB so allow at least 60 seconds.
delivery	string	"dataset"	dataset stores results in the Apify dataset. webhook posts the digest JSON to webhookUrl.
webhookUrl	string	—	POST target for the digest payload. Leave empty for dataset delivery.
datasetMode	string	"all"	all emits every watch digest row. action_needed emits only watches with name-match hits. new_only emits only watches wit
snapshotKey	string	"sanctions-change-digest-state"	Stable key used to persist seen SDN entry UIDs across recurring runs so new_only and action_needed modes stay comparable

Input Example

{
  "watches": [
    {
      "id": "sdgt-entities",
      "name": "SDGT Entities",
      "programs": "SDGT",
      "sdnTypes": "Entity",
      "maxEntries": 20
    },
    {
      "id": "name-screen",
      "name": "Counterparty Screen",
      "watchTerms": "Acme Corp,Example Bank",
      "maxEntries": 10
    }
  ],
  "delivery": "dataset",
  "datasetMode": "all",
  "snapshotKey": "sanctions-change-digest-state"
}

Output

Field	Type	Description
meta	object
errors	array
digests	array
digests[].watchId	string
digests[].watchName	string
digests[].programs	array
digests[].sdnTypes	array
digests[].watchTerms	array
digests[].checkedAt	timestamp
digests[].status	string
digests[].newEntryCount	number
digests[].removedEntryCount	number
digests[].totalMatchCount	number
digests[].changedSinceLastRun	boolean
digests[].actionNeeded	boolean
digests[].recommendedAction	string
digests[].signalTags	array
digests[].watchTermHits	array
digests[].typeBreakdown	object
digests[].programBreakdown	object
digests[].removedUids	array
digests[].entries	array
digests[].error	null

Output Example

{
  "meta": {
    "generatedAt": "2026-04-03T12:00:00.000Z",
    "sdnPublishDate": "04/03/2026",
    "sdnRecordCount": 18698,
    "newEntries": 3,
    "actionNeededCount": 0,
    "executiveSummary": {
      "overallStatus": "watch",
      "brief": "3 new SDN addition(s) and 0 removal(s) detected across 2 watch(es)."
    }
  },
  "digests": [
    {
      "watchId": "sdgt-entities",
      "status": "watch",
      "newEntryCount": 3,
      "removedEntryCount": 0,
      "totalMatchCount": 1847,
      "entries": [...]
    }
  ]
}

API Usage

Run this actor programmatically using the Apify API. Replace YOUR_API_TOKEN with your token from Apify Console → Settings → Integrations.

cURL

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/taroyamada~sanctions-change-digest/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ "watches": [ { "id": "sdgt-entities", "name": "SDGT Entities", "programs": "SDGT", "sdnTypes": "Entity", "maxEntries": 20 }, { "id": "name-screen", "name": "Counterparty Screen", "watchTerms": "Acme Corp,Example Bank", "maxEntries": 10 } ], "delivery": "dataset", "datasetMode": "all", "snapshotKey": "sanctions-change-digest-state" }'

Python

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR_API_TOKEN")
run = client.actor("taroyamada/sanctions-change-digest").call(run_input={
  "watches": [
    {
      "id": "sdgt-entities",
      "name": "SDGT Entities",
      "programs": "SDGT",
      "sdnTypes": "Entity",
      "maxEntries": 20
    },
    {
      "id": "name-screen",
      "name": "Counterparty Screen",
      "watchTerms": "Acme Corp,Example Bank",
      "maxEntries": 10
    }
  ],
  "delivery": "dataset",
  "datasetMode": "all",
  "snapshotKey": "sanctions-change-digest-state"
})

for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

JavaScript / Node.js

import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: 'YOUR_API_TOKEN' });
const run = await client.actor('taroyamada/sanctions-change-digest').call({
  "watches": [
    {
      "id": "sdgt-entities",
      "name": "SDGT Entities",
      "programs": "SDGT",
      "sdnTypes": "Entity",
      "maxEntries": 20
    },
    {
      "id": "name-screen",
      "name": "Counterparty Screen",
      "watchTerms": "Acme Corp,Example Bank",
      "maxEntries": 10
    }
  ],
  "delivery": "dataset",
  "datasetMode": "all",
  "snapshotKey": "sanctions-change-digest-state"
});

const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
console.log(items);

Tips & Limitations

• Run daily for active watchlists; weekly for passive monitoring.
• Webhook delivery works well for compliance team Slack channels — include docket URL for 1-click access.
• Use watchKeywords generously — false positives are cheap to triage, false negatives miss filings.
• Pair with regulatory-change-monitor for cross-agency coverage.
• Archive Dataset rows weekly for long-term compliance evidence retention.

FAQ

How far back does history go?

This actor monitors forward-only — new items since first run. For historical data, use the agency's own search tool.

What timezones are used?

All timestamps are UTC. Use your downstream pipeline to convert to agency-local time if needed.

Does it translate non-English content?

No — original language is preserved. Use downstream translation services if needed.

Is the data official?

Yes — sourced directly from official government websites and feeds. Not a third-party aggregator.

Can I use this for legal research?

For alerting and monitoring, yes. For litigation research, cross-verify with primary sources (agency websites) — this actor is a monitoring tool, not a legal database.

Related Actors

Government & Regulatory cluster — explore related Apify tools:

• EPA Enforcement Digest | ECHO Compliance Risk Monitor — Monitor EPA ECHO all-media facility search, corporate compliance screener, and enforcement case feeds with one summary-first digest row per watched company, facility, or case feed.
• FDA Warning Letters Digest | Summary-First Feed — Monitor public FDA warning letters with one summary-first digest row per configured feed.
• Federal Register Digest | Agency Rule & Notice Monitor — Monitor Federal Register documents — rules, proposed rules, and notices — per configured agency feed.
• Government Contract Award Monitor | Award & Competitor Watch — Monitor public-sector contract award notices for new wins, notable awardees, incumbent recompetes, and competitor signals — one digest row per configured feed without brittle broad crawling.
• Grants.gov Funding Digest | Opportunity Watch & Signal Digest — Monitor Grants.
• NHTSA Vehicle Recall Digest | Recalls + Complaints Watch — Monitor official NHTSA vehicle recall and complaint endpoints for watched model-family, VIN, and manufacturer feeds.
• Product Safety Recall Digest | CPSC + openFDA Alerts — Monitor CPSC saferproducts.
• Regulatory Change Monitor API — Monitor official regulator update feeds, government bulletin pages, and public compliance notices with one action-oriented digest row per monitored source.
• Tariff Trade Change Digest | Federal Register + HTS Monitor — Monitor U.
• Treasury Fiscal Data Digest | Debt, Rates & Budget Monitor — Monitor the U.
• USPTO Patent Monitor API | JSON + Webhook — Search and monitor US patent filings with multi-source fallback.
• Campaign Finance & Lobbying Digest | FEC + LDA Watch — Monitor official FEC OpenFEC committee reports and LDA.

Cost

Pay Per Event:

• actor-start: $0.01 (flat fee per run)
• dataset-item: $0.003 per output item

Example: 1,000 items = $0.01 + (1,000 × $0.003) = $3.01

No subscription required — you only pay for what you use.

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