United States Seeks Forfeiture of $15 Million Allegedly Tied to Iranian Oil Shipping Network

WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors have filed civil forfeiture complaints seeking the seizure of more than $15.3 million allegedly connected to a global oil distribution network accused of selling Iranian petroleum in violation of United States sanctions and channeling profits through shell companies and international shipping operations.

The complaints were filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and target funds investigators believe were used to sustain a complex sanctions-evasion network tied to Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, an individual authorities describe as operating a web of companies involved in transporting and marketing Iranian crude oil across international markets.

According to federal filings, investigators allege the funds provided operational financing for companies that were part of what authorities describe as the “Shamkhani Network,” a system of shipping firms, commodity trading companies, and financial intermediaries designed to obscure the origin of Iranian petroleum shipments and conceal the involvement of sanctioned Iranian entities.

The forfeiture actions claim the funds are subject to seizure because they were allegedly intended to facilitate transactions benefiting the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and organizations tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force, both of which are designated as foreign terrorist organizations under U.S. law.

Federal investigators state the network allegedly relied on a strategy commonly used in sanctions-evasion operations: establishing companies that outwardly appear independent while secretly operating under the direction of individuals tied to sanctioned governments or entities.

According to the complaints, Shamkhani is the son of Ali Shamkhani, a senior political adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader and a former head of Iran’s National Defense Council. Authorities allege that Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani oversaw a system that enabled Iranian crude oil to move through global markets despite international restrictions.

Investigators say the network’s activities included selling Iranian oil and other commodities while concealing the role of Iranian participants in the transactions. Authorities claim the network also used corporate structures and financial arrangements designed to disguise the origin of the oil and obscure the ultimate beneficiaries of the sales.

Financial sanctions imposed by the United States restrict transactions involving Iranian energy exports and prohibit U.S. financial institutions from processing payments tied to sanctioned entities. Prosecutors allege the Shamkhani Network attempted to bypass those restrictions by routing transactions through layered corporate structures and international shipping channels.

The complaints detail two major financial targets linked to the network’s alleged activities.

The first filing seeks forfeiture of approximately $12.97 million, which investigators claim was intended for use by Wellbred Capital Pte. Ltd. and its subsidiary Wellbred Trading DMCC. Authorities allege the companies were acquired and operated by Shamkhani and his associates in order to maintain a corporate identity that appeared independent from Iranian government influence.

Federal investigators claim internal documents associated with the companies included organizational diagrams showing how the firms fit into the broader network of businesses connected to the alleged sanctions-evasion operation.

A second forfeiture complaint targets approximately $2.4 million tied to Sea Lead Shipping Pte. Ltd. and its affiliated entity Sea Lead Shipping Agency India PV. According to prosecutors, those companies were intended to provide maritime transport and logistics services to vessels involved in shipping oil linked to the Shamkhani Network.

Shipping companies play a critical role in international oil distribution, and investigators say maritime logistics firms are often used in sanctions-evasion operations to move petroleum products through global trade routes while masking the true origin of cargo.

Authorities allege that both Wellbred and Sea Lead operated as components within a broader network that relied on shell companies, financial intermediaries, and shipping arrangements to move sanctioned oil through international markets while concealing its source.

Federal investigators say networks of this type frequently rely on complex shipping practices, including vessel transfers, changing vessel ownership structures, and layered financial transactions, to avoid detection by regulators and sanctions enforcement authorities.

The investigation involves multiple federal agencies with expertise in financial crimes, counterintelligence, and international sanctions enforcement.

Participating investigative units include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Homeland Security Investigations Washington Field Office, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Global Illicit Finance Team, which focuses on identifying financial flows tied to international criminal networks and sanctions violations.

Federal prosecutors assigned to the case include attorneys from the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section, the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Controls Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

The forfeiture complaints represent the opening stage of a civil legal process in which the government seeks to permanently seize assets believed to be connected to criminal activity or sanctions violations.

Under U.S. law, civil forfeiture actions target the assets themselves rather than charging a specific individual with a crime. The government must ultimately demonstrate that the funds are subject to forfeiture under applicable statutes governing sanctions enforcement and illicit financial activity.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue examining financial transactions and corporate structures connected to the alleged network.

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