US sanctions network for defrauding US firms to supply Iran’s military

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in coordination with the Department of Commerce and the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, on Friday designated an Iran-based procurement network under the “Economic Fury” campaign for allegedly impersonating US small businesses to fraudulently obtain restricted goods for Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).

According to the Treasury, Iranian national Ali Majd Sepehr, through his company Sorena Hushmand Samaneh Company (Sorena), created false US business identities to defraud dozens of American IT firms, resellers, and vendors out of millions of dollars. The network is accused of procuring network security equipment, encryption hardware and software, spectrum analyzers, and non-linear junction detectors for MODAFL-controlled entities, including Sairan Information Exchange Space Security Industries Company (SAAFTA).

Sepehr worked with Iranian national Mohammadali Mansour Darehshiri, who used Dubai-based firms Green Light Computer Co LLC and Al Kawther Neon LLC as fronts to receive and re-export US-origin goods via the United Arab Emirates to Iran, Treasury statement said.

Italy-based Saied Zahedi allegedly used a US financial account to register deceptive domains and facilitate payments to freight forwarders involved in the scheme.

The Treasury also designated Sorena chair Roudabeh Sarmadi, along with several company officials and sales managers, including Manoochehr Zandian, Hoda Baradaran Bagheri, Farzaneh Rezaei, and Seyyed Payam Akhtarian.

The US government also said the Rewards for Justice program is offering up to $15 million for information disrupting Iran’s IRGC financial networks.