How to check if a company is on a sanctions list with an AI agent

Last updated: May 21, 2026

To check if a company is sanctioned from inside an AI agent, connect it to a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that screens the four major denied-party lists at once, then call one tool with the name. LiveDataLink exposes sanctions_screen_entity, which checks the OFAC SDN, EU consolidated, UN consolidated, and BIS Denied Persons lists in a single request and returns candidate matches with confidence scores.

Screen the name in one call

The tool takes a single name argument. Point your agent at https://livedatalink.ai/mcp with a bearer key (get one free at /signup/free) and have it call:

{
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "sanctions_screen_entity",
    "arguments": { "name": "Acme Trading LLC" }
  }
}

The result lists candidates by name similarity across all four lists, each with a confidence score, so the agent can flag anything that clears your threshold. To screen many counterparties at once, sanctions_screen_batch takes a names array of up to 50 and returns one block per name in input order.

Pin the right entity first

Sanctions screening is fuzzy name matching, so a generic or ambiguous company name produces noisy candidates. Resolve the name to a canonical identity before you screen, so you know exactly which legal entity you are checking. resolve_entity returns the SEC CIK and ticker, GLEIF LEI with its ownership chain, IRS EIN, and more, plus a built-in sanctions match flag.

{
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "resolve_entity",
    "arguments": { "name": "Acme Robotics Inc" }
  }
}

With the canonical legal name and its parent in hand, the agent can screen the operating entity and its ultimate owner, not just the string a user typed.

What a match means, and what to do

A candidate is a starting point, not a verdict. The workflow is: the tool flags names by similarity, a human reviews each candidate against identifiers like date of birth, address, and aliases, and you resolve it as a true match or a false positive. If you confirm a true match, US persons generally must block the property or transaction and report it to OFAC, usually within 10 business days, and must not tip off the subject. When in doubt, consult compliance or counsel.

If you want the screen folded into a broader company check, the packaged decision tools at /decisions run sanctions alongside SEC, court, EPA, and spending signals, and the /compliance-pack bundles the KYB workflow.

FAQ

Which lists does one call cover?

The OFAC SDN list, the EU consolidated list, the UN consolidated list, and the US Commerce BIS Denied Persons list, all in a single sanctions_screen_entity call.

Does a partial match mean the company is sanctioned?

No. Treat it as a candidate to review, not a confirmed hit. Compare additional identifiers before deciding, and document your conclusion.

Is this data resale-safe to use in my product?

Yes. The lists are official government publications, which are resale-safe. See /trust for the provenance detail.

Last updated: May 21, 2026 · LiveDataLink home