Iranian Oil Trafficking: DOJ Charges Seven Defendants, Seizes $108 Million and 500,000 Barrels of Fuel

The Justice Department (DOJ) announced the unsealing of three federal cases across two U.S. Attorneys’ Offices on Thursday, charging individuals and companies for their role in the illegal sale of Iranian oil and the evasion of sanctions. The following are the details of the cases.

Southern District of New York

A seven-member team, consisting of a senior IRGC-QF official and officers of a Turkish energy group, were arrested and charged with terrorism, sanctions-evasion, fraud, and money laundering offenses in the Southern District of New York. The defendants allegedly sold Iranian oil to government-affiliated buyers in China, Russia, and Syria, earning approximately $108 million. The U.S. seized these funds, which were used to disrupt IRGC’s unlawful activities threatening national security.

• Seven defendants charged
• Senior IRGC-QF official and officers of a Turkish energy group
• Arrested and charged with terrorism, sanctions-evasion, fraud, and money laundering offenses
• Sold Iranian oil to government-affiliated buyers in China, Russia, and Syria
• Approximately $108 million earned
• U.S. seized the funds

District of Columbia

A Chinese woman and an Omani man were charged with sanctions-evasion and money laundering offenses for their role in the illegal sale of Iranian oil to Chinese government-owned refineries. A forfeiture complaint detailing the seizure of over 500,000 barrels of Iranian fuel was also unsealed. All the mentioned funds and fuel are subject to forfeiture under terrorism laws.

• Chinese woman and an Omani man charged
• Role in the illegal sale of Iranian oil to Chinese government-owned refineries
• Charged with sanctions-evasion and money laundering offenses
• Seizure of over 500,000 barrels of Iranian fuel

Enforcement Actions

These actions illustrate the DOJ’s commitment to disrupting Iran’s illicit oil smuggling operations and preventing funds from reaching the terrorist regime’s coffers. The following are some recent enforcement actions by the DOJ related to this issue.

• Seizure of the tanker Suez Rajan and the civil forfeiture of the oil onboard the Abyss

IRGC’s Oil Trafficking Network

The oil trafficking network involved a sprawling international network of front companies, intermediaries, and deceptive schemes to evade U.S. sanctions and disguise the source of Iranian oil. The IRGC-QF employed front companies in Lebanon, India, and Turkey, and intermediaries in Oman, Greece, and other countries to orchestrate the sale and export of crude oil to government-affiliated buyers in Russia, China, Syria, and other countries. They employed lies, forgery, and threats of violence to execute the scheme.

The latest in ongoing efforts by the Justice Department to combat the illicit trafficking of Iranian oil.