US Seeks Forfeiture of $584,741 in Tether from Iranian Drone Tech Supplier
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, prosecutors allege the seized USDT funded navigation technology tied to an Iranian drone used in a 2024 Jordan attack that killed three U.S. service members.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil forfeiture action to seize $584,741 in Tether (USDT) allegedly linked to Iranian national Mohammad Abedini. Abedini, head of San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co. (SDRA), is accused of supplying navigation systems to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for drones and missiles. Investigators connected the Sepehr Navigation System developed by SDRA to an Iranian Shahed UAV that killed three U.S. service members and injured more than 40 in Jordan in January 2024. Abedini was indicted in December 2024 for supporting a foreign terrorist organization. He was briefly detained in Italy before being released and is now believed to be in Iran. The DOJ emphasized that assets tied to terrorism are subject to forfeiture and highlighted the role of forensic blockchain analysis in linking unhosted wallets to sanctioned actors.
- Tether (USDT): A blockchain-based stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, commonly used for trading and transferring value in digital form.
- Unhosted Wallet: A cryptocurrency wallet where the user controls the private keys without reliance on a third-party custodian, often used for greater autonomy and privacy.
- Civil Forfeiture: A legal process where the government seizes assets alleged to be connected to criminal activity, even without a criminal conviction.