The U.S. Department of Justice filed two civil forfeiture complaints in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking to seize more than $15.3 million allegedly tied to an illicit Iranian oil distribution network operated by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, who was sanctioned by the Treasury Department in July 2025.
- Complaints seek forfeiture of over $15.3 million allegedly used to fund a sanctions-evading oil network.
- Funds are alleged to provide influence over Iran’s National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the IRGC-Quds Force.
- Case 26-cv-802 targets $12,973,529 allegedly intended for Wellbred Capital Pte, Ltd. and Wellbred Trading DMCC.
- Case 1:26-cv-00807 targets $2.4 million allegedly intended for Sea Lead Shipping Pte, Ltd. and Sea Lead Shipping Agency India PV.
- OFAC sanctioned Shamkhani on July 30, 2025, identifying him as the son of Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader.
- Filings allege the network laundered billions from Iranian and Russian oil sales, primarily to buyers in China.
- Investigating agencies include the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS Criminal Investigation.
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Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. This article may be updated as more details become available.
