The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on May 29 that its Office of Foreign Assets Control, in coordination with the Department of Commerce and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Los Angeles Field Office, has taken action against an Iran-based procurement network accused of impersonating and defrauding American companies to obtain restricted goods for Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) and other sanctioned entities.
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said, “The Iranian military’s brazen efforts to target and deceive American businesses demonstrate just how far the regime is willing to go to support its malign activities. Treasury will continue to use all available authorities to cut off the Iranian regime’s access to the global financial system.”
The action was carried out under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorist groups, their supporters, and those aiding acts of terrorism. MODAFL had previously been designated under this order in March 2019 for supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). The department outlined that Ali Majd Sepehr used his company Sorena Hushmand Samaneh Company (Sorena) to impersonate U.S. small businesses and procure restricted goods from other U.S.-based companies, resulting in millions of dollars in losses. Sepehr allegedly worked with Mohammadali Mansour Darehshiri and several others who helped facilitate transfers through front companies based in Dubai.
Other individuals designated include Roudabeh Sarmadi, chairperson for Sorena; Manoochehr Zandian; Hoda Baradaran Bagheri; Farzaneh Rezaei; Sayyad Payam Akhtarian; Saied Zahedi; as well as companies Green Light Computer Co LLC and Al Kawther Neon LLC. These parties are accused of assisting or acting on behalf of Sepehr or MODAFL by procuring export-controlled equipment or facilitating shipments through third countries.
As a result, all property within U.S. jurisdiction belonging to these persons is blocked, along with any entities owned at least 50 percent by them. Transactions involving these individuals or entities are generally prohibited unless authorized by OFAC. Violations may lead to civil or criminal penalties for both U.S. and foreign persons involved.
The Treasury emphasized it will continue targeting sanctions evasion schemes—including digital asset exploitation—and warned foreign financial institutions about secondary sanctions risks when facilitating significant transactions on behalf of designated persons.