US DOJ Seeks Forfeiture of $61M in Crypto Linked to Iranian Oil Sales

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil complaint in Manhattan seeking forfeiture of approximately $61 million in cryptocurrency allegedly tied to Iranian black-market oil sales.

Prosecutors claim that two Chinese companies used Binance accounts to move funds through a broader network that handled over $1.5 billion in oil proceeds, bringing exchange accounts, stablecoins, and self-custody wallets into the same sanctions investigation.

The alleged scheme links Binance accounts to an Iranian oil network worth more than $1.5 billion, with prosecutors saying the funds potentially financed Iran's government and the IRGC.