The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on Behrouz Parsarad, an Iran-based individual identified as the sole administrator of Nemesis, a darknet marketplace involved in illegal drug sales. Nemesis was dismantled in 2024 following an international law enforcement operation. Prior to its takedown, the platform had over 30,000 active users and facilitated nearly $30 million in drug transactions globally between 2021 and 2024.
Bradley T. Smith, Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated, "As the administrator of the Nemesis darknet marketplace, Parsarad sought to build—and continues to try to re-establish—a safe haven to facilitate the production, sale, and shipment of illegal narcotics like fentanyl and other synthetic opioids." He emphasized that Treasury will work with U.S. law enforcement to dismantle such marketplaces.
The action against Parsarad is OFAC's first move as part of the FBI-led Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) Team. It was executed under Executive Order 14059 targeting narcotics proliferators. The order highlights ongoing efforts by criminal organizations using darknet platforms for trafficking drugs into the United States.
Nemesis operated as a criminal marketplace since its establishment in 2021 on the darknet. Drug traffickers used it to sell fentanyl worldwide and offer various illicit goods and services. Parsarad managed Nemesis entirely from Iran, profiting from transaction fees and laundering virtual currencies for criminals on the platform.
In March 2024, U.S., German, and Lithuanian authorities seized Nemesis' servers in a joint operation. Since then, Parsarad has reportedly discussed launching a new marketplace with former vendors from Nemesis.
The designation of Parsarad was achieved through collaboration with multiple agencies including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, FinCEN, and European partners.
As a result of these sanctions under E.O. 14059, all property linked to Parsarad within U.S. jurisdiction is blocked. Transactions involving designated persons are generally prohibited without specific authorization from OFAC.
Entities engaging with sanctioned individuals may face penalties or enforcement actions themselves. OFAC's guidelines provide details on potential civil or criminal penalties for violations.
OFAC emphasizes that its sanctions aim not at punishment but at promoting positive behavioral changes among those designated.
For further information about today's designation or removal processes from OFAC lists such as the SDN List, resources are available online.