WHAT: Bloomberg News alleges it has “internal company records” showing that Koch Industries used subsidiaries in Germany and Italy to sidestep a U.S. trade ban barring American companies from selling to Iran.

HOW: The Bloomberg report claim Koch Industries took elaborate steps to ensure that its U.S.-based employees weren’t involved in the equipment sales, which helped Iran build the world’s largest methanol plant.

WHY: A Koch Industries spokeswoman said no laws were broken.  “During the relevant time … U.S. law allowed foreign subsidiaries of U.S. multinational companies to engage in trade involving countries subject to U.S. trade sanctions, including Iran.”