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US Government Seizes $600,000 in USDT from Iranian National
The District of Massachusetts Attorney’s Office has announced the seizure of nearly $600,000 in USDT from Mohammad Abedini, a national of Iran. At the same time, US authorities are pursuing the civil forfeiture of these seized cryptocurrency assets.
Allegations Against Abedini for Supplying Technology to Iran
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According to a statement released on Thursday by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Mohammad Abedini has been identified as the founder and managing director of SDRA. This Iranian company is accused of providing essential technology to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Notably, SDRA is known for producing navigation modules, including their prominent product, the Sepehr Navigation System. This system is integrated into the IRGC’s fleet of military drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.
Prosecutors allege that since at least 2014, Abedini’s company has maintained a close relationship with the IRGC Aerospace Force, recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). From 2021 to 2022, approximately 99% of SDRA’s sales of the Sepehr Navigation System, intended for one-way attack drones, were directly to the IRGC Aerospace Force.
In January 2024, a forensic examination of a drone strike that resulted in the death of three US service members and injuries to over 40 others at Tower 22, a military base in northern Jordan, revealed the use of an Iranian-made Shahed UAV. This UAV was equipped with the Sepehr Navigation System produced by SDRA. In December 2024, Abedini was apprehended by Italian authorities and charged in a Boston federal court for providing digital and material support to a foreign terrorist organization. However, he was released by the Italian government and is now believed to be residing in Iran.
Legal Proceedings for USDT Forfeiture
The US authorities have seized $584,741 in USDT from an un-hosted wallet address associated with Abedini. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts has initiated a civil forfeiture action, which allows the DOJ to gain control of these crypto assets without needing to convict Abedini criminally. As stated by the US authorities:
“US law authorizes the forfeiture of all assets of individuals or entities engaged in planning or perpetrating a federal crime of terrorism against the United States, its citizens, or residents, or their property. This includes any assets, foreign or domestic, providing any person with a means of influence over such entities.”
It is important to note that the DOJ’s claims in both civil forfeiture and criminal complaints remain allegations. Abedini is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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