US Prosecutors Seek $61M in USDT Linked to Black-Market Iranian Oil Sales
US prosecutors have filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking $61.2 million in USDT allegedly tied to black-market Iranian oil sales.
The complaint, filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, targets ten TRON addresses that collectively held 61.19 million USDT when frozen by Tether in June and July last year.
Prosecutors allege seven linked wallets moved more than $1.5 billion from sanctioned Iranian oil sales through Binance accounts used by Hong Kong-incorporated Blessed Trust Limited and Hexa Whale Trading Limited.
The government claims the companies used these accounts to help convert proceeds from Iranian crude oil and petroleum sales into cryptocurrency, and that at least seven linked addresses received and distributed more than $1.5 billion in funds believed to come from Iranian oil sales.