While this is CFIUS’s largest fine to date, the agency likely did so to underscore its aggressive stance on enforcing compliance going forward. In this case, CFIUS has jurisdiction over T-Mobile because the carrier is primarily owned by Deutsche Telekom, a German entity. Since the agency was created to oversee the national security implications of foreign corporate investments in the U.S., CFIUS has the authority to take action against companies that violate the terms of their agreements, as it did with T-Mobile.
That said, it is unusual for CFIUS to impose a fine of this magnitude. However, it is worth noting that the committee has doubled down on its efforts to prevent future violations. Given this, CFIUS has imposed six fines in the past 18 months alone, ranging from $100,000 to $60 million.