The U.S. Treasury Department has designated a sprawling Iran-based procurement network that impersonated legitimate American small businesses to fraudulently acquire restricted military goods for Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). The sanctions, announced under the Treasury’s 'Economic Fury' campaign, target eight individuals and four entities—including front companies in Iran and Dubai—that defrauded dozens of U.S. IT companies out of millions of dollars while procuring network security equipment and encryption technology.
The scheme was masterminded by Ali Majd Sepehr, who operated through the Iranian front company Sorena Hushmand Samaneh Company to pose as U.S. small businesses and source restricted goods such as spectrum analyzers and non-linear junction detectors. The network then shipped the items from the United States to front companies in Dubai, including Green Light Computer Co LLC, before re-exporting them to MODAFL-controlled entity SAAFTA in Iran.
Other designated individuals include Roudabeh Sarmadi, chairperson of Sorena's board; Dubai-based intermediary Mohammadali Mansour Darehshiri, who paid U.S. freight forwarders and facilitated shipments through UAE front companies; Italy-based Iranian national Saied Zahedi, who used a U.S. financial account to pay for fake domain registrations mimicking American businesses; and several Sorena sales managers who supported the transfers.
The Treasury reported that the broader Economic Fury campaign has disrupted tens of billions of dollars in Iranian regime revenue, including freezing nearly $500 million in regime-linked cryptocurrency. The State Department is also offering a $15 million reward for information that disrupts IRGC financial mechanisms.
All designated persons’ U.S.-based assets are blocked, and foreign financial institutions face secondary sanctions for facilitating transactions with them.