Illegal immigrants from Iran caught at Texas border; Iranians arrested for fraud & on FBI Most Wanted List

July 2, 2020

Multiple incidents of Iranians wreaking havoc in and on the U.S.

1. Texas Border Patrol Agents Apprehend Three Illegal Migrants From Iran via saracarter.com

Border Patrol agents stationed at the Del Rio Sector of Texas detained a family of three Iranian nationals illegally crossing the border on Sunday, according to a press release. The group is considered to be “Special Interest Aliens” by the Department of Homeland Security because of their home country’s terrorism prevalence.

“Agents in Del Rio Sector encounter individuals from countries all throughout the world,” said Del Rio Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Doyle E. Amidon, Jr.

He added, “The vigilance, diligence, and dedication to duty that our agents display on a daily basis is second to none. The security of our neighborhoods, communities, and our great nation is our top priority.”

The area has seen a flow of people crossing from all over the world. This year, alone, individuals from 63 different countries were arrested at the Del Rio Sector.

2. Two Iranians indicted for deployment of ransomware that crippled the operations of critical facilities in the U.S. and Canada via FBI Most Wanted

Two Iranian men were indicted in connection with the deployment of the sophisticated and sinister SamSam ransomware that crippled the operations of critical facilities in the U.S. and Canada.

Mohammad Mehdi Shah Mansouri and Faramarz Shahi Savandi are wanted for allegedly launching SamSam ransom ware, aka MSIL/Samas.A attacks, which encrypted hundreds of computer networks in the United States and other countries. Since December of 2015, Shah Mansouri and Shahi Savandi have received over $6 million in ransom payments from victims across several sectors, including critical infrastructure, healthcare, transportation, and state/local governments.

3. Criminal Charges Filed Against Two Iranian Nationals for Violating Money Laundering & Sanctions Laws by Procuring Petroleum Tanker via DOJ

Amir Dianat, 55, and Kamran Lajmiri, 42, both Iranian nationals, were charged with violating U.S. export laws and sanctions against Iran in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

A two-count criminal complaint returned today charges Dianat and Lajmiri with conspiracy to provide U.S. financial services to Iranian entities and their front companies attempting to purchase a petroleum tanker, the Nautic, in September 2019. The complaint alleges that the defendants concealed from the seller, financial institutions that clear U.S. dollar transactions, and the U.S. government that the sale of this vessel was destined for Iran, all as part of a scheme to enrich the defendants and other conspirators, and to evade the regulations, prohibitions, and licensing requirements of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).

A related verified civil forfeiture complaint was filed against $12,338,941.91. These funds were allegedly involved in this scheme to launder funds into the United States to illicitly procure the Nautic. The civil forfeiture complaint alleges that this scheme involved the National Iranian Oil Company, the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), and the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), all specially designated nationals. The IRGC has also been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization. This forfeiture action represents the largest ever seizure of IRGC-QF related funds. All funds of terrorist organizations are subject to forfeiture.

4. Founder and CEO of Iranian Financial Services Firm Extradited on Money Laundering, Wire Fraud, and Conspiracy Charges via DOJ

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the unsealing of a six-count federal indictment against Seyed Sajjad Shahidian, 33, Vahid Vali, 33, and PAYMENT24 for conducting financial transactions in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran. The defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit offenses against and to defraud the United States, wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. Shahidian, who was arrested and extradited from the United Kingdom, made his initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Vali remains at large.

(Source: justice.gov)

11:57am | URL: https://tmblr.co/ZdSdslYZkQglSq01

(Notes: 10)