A complaint has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to seek forfeiture of the Motor Tanker Skipper and approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil. The tanker, seized by U.S. authorities on the high seas in December 2025, was allegedly used to transport oil supplied by Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, in support of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Qods Force.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “Under President Trump's leadership, the era of secretly bankrolling regimes that pose clear threats to the United States is over. This Department of Justice will deploy every legal authority at our disposal to completely dismantle and permanently shutter any operation that defies our laws and fuels chaos across the globe.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said, “This forfeiture complaint for the M/T Skipper and its oil cargo demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. sanctions and thwarting hostile regimes who exploit the global oil trade. The FBI, working alongside our interagency partners, will continue aggressively identifying, disrupting, and dismantling the financial networks used by our foreign adversaries to fund terrorist organizations and destabilize international security. We remain steadfast in safeguarding both the integrity of the international financial system and the security of the American people.”
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia commented on enforcement efforts: “We will aggressively enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran and relentlessly pursue ghost fleet vessels whose illicit oil shipments have served as revenue sources for the IRGC and its terrorist proxies. With the continued seizures and forfeitures of tankers and related profits, we are sending a clear message that there will be no safe harbor for sanctions evasion – and that we will deny Iran the ability to fund terrorism through its shadowy maritime networks.”
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division noted: “Because of the coordinated efforts of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, a ghost tanker that for years secretly moved illicit oil from Iran and Venezuela around the globe has been taken off the seas. Today’s actions are an important step in making America and the world safer by disrupting the flow of millions of dollars to foreign terrorist organizations. The Criminal Division will continue to use every tool at our disposal to end to terrorist financing.”
John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security added: “For too long, a shadow fleet of stateless and falsely registered vessels has operated with impunity while shuttling illicit oil around the world, generating billions in revenue for adversary regimes and foreign terrorist organizations,” he said.“This forfeiture complaint reflects National Security Division’s commitment to shutting down those networks and enforcing U.S. sanctions.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) acting Executive Associate Director John Condon emphasized HSI's role: “Homeland Security Investigations played a critical role in investigation that led to today’s forfeiture complaint against Motor Tanker Skipper... By leveraging our expertise... HSI helped disrupt a complex sanctions-evasion... I am proud of dedication... demonstrated by special agents... instrumental in advancing this case... HSI remains committed to safeguarding national security..."
The government alleges that between 2021 until now, a scheme was conducted using Skipper—which previously went by another name—to move crude oil from Iran or Venezuela via ship-to-ship transfers globally while concealing these activities through location spoofing or false flags.
According to investigators’ claims cited in court documents:
- In 2024 alone, Skipper delivered about three million barrels from Iran into Syria.
- The vessel reportedly continued moving Iranian or Venezuelan crude into 2025.
- On November 3rd 2022 OFAC sanctioned Skipper (then called Adisa).
The petroleum product loaded onto Skipper before seizure is alleged as part of ongoing operations supporting IRGC interests such as weapons proliferation or human rights abuses.
In November 2025 specifically—shortly before seizure—the tanker loaded roughly 1.8 million barrels at José Terminal in Venezuela; bills indicated about 1.1 million barrels were destined for Cubametales (Cuba's state-run import/export company), which has also faced previous OFAC designations.
On December 10th last year federal law enforcement seized Skipper on open waters under judicial warrant after it falsely claimed Guyanese registration; it was later brought near Texas.
The case is being investigated jointly by FBI Minneapolis Field Office along with HSI Washington D.C., with support from HSI New York Field Office.
Prosecutors handling litigation include Assistant U.S Attorneys Michael Dilorenzo & Rajbir Datta (District Of Columbia), Trial Attorney Josh Sohn (Criminal Division Money Laundering/Narcotics/Forfeiture Section), Acting Deputy Chief Sean Heiden (National Security Division Counterintelligence/Export Control Section).
Officials stress these are allegations only; ultimate proof must be established during civil proceedings.
