US Seeks $61M in Crypto Tied to Iranian Oil Sales

U.S. prosecutors have filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking $61.2 million in cryptocurrency allegedly tied to blackmarket Iranian oil sales, marking the latest enforcement action targeting Iran's financial networks. The complaint, filed on September 14, 2026, by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, targets ten TRON wallet addresses holding frozen Tether (USDT) stablecoins. Prosecutors allege that two China-based firms, Blessed Trust Limited and Hexa Whale Trading Limited, used trading accounts on the cryptocurrency exchange Binance to launder proceeds from Iranian crude oil and petroleum sales. The complaint states the funds were intended to benefit the Iranian government and military bodies, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the U.S. designates as a terrorist organization. The $61.2 million is described as part of a larger network that moved over $1.5 billion in illicit oil proceeds.