United States Seeks Civil Forfeiture of Cryptocurrency Associated with Iranian National Mohammad Abedini

BOSTON - The United States Attorney's Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover approximately $584,741 in cryptocurrency alleged to be the property of Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, a/k/a Mohammad Abedini (Abedini), 39, of Tehran, Iran and/or his company San'at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co. (SDRA). The government seized USDT (Tether) from an un-hosted cryptocurrency wallet alleged to be controlled by Abedini. USDT (Tether) is a stablecoin, meaning its value is tied to the U.S. dollar.

Abedini was detained by Italian authorities on Dec. 16, 2024 but was later released in January 2025. He is believed to be in Iran.

According to court documents, Abedini is the founder and managing director of SDRA, an Iranian company that manufactures navigation modules used in the IRGC's military drone program. SDRA's main business is the sale of a proprietary navigation system-known as the Sepehr Navigation System-to the IRGC, which the United States designated as an FTO on April 15, 2019. The primary application of SDRA's Sepehr Navigation System is for use in UAVs, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.

In December 2024, Abedini was charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the IRGC, specifically, the IRGC Aerospace Force, which is the strategic missile, air and space force within the IRGC. Since at least in or about 2014, SDRA has had multiple projects with the IRGC Aerospace Force, including projects for guided rockets and integrated navigation systems. As alleged, between 2021 and 2022, approximately 99% of SDRA's sales of the Sepehr Navigation System, which are used in IRGC one-way attack drones, were to the IRGC's Aerospace Force.

In January 2024, three U.S. service members were killed, and more than 40 others were injured, in a drone attack by IRGC-backed militants on a military base located in northern Jordan, known as Tower 22. According to court documents, analysis of the drone that was recovered from the site of the attack showed that the drone was an Iranian Shahed UAV and that the navigation system used in the drone was the Sepehr Navigation System, which was manufactured by SDRA.

U.S. law authorizes the forfeiture of all assets of individuals or entities engaged in planning or perpetrating a federal crime of terrorism against the United States, citizens or residents of the United States, or their property and all assets, foreign or domestic, affording any person a source of influence over any such entity. U.S. law further authorizes the forfeiture of all assets acquired or maintained by any person with the intent and for the purpose of supporting, planning, conducting, or concealing any federal crime of terrorism against the United States, citizens or residents of the United States, or their property.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the District of Massachusetts' Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture action. Assistant United States Jared Dolan, Alathea Porter and Christopher Looney of the District of Massachusetts' Criminal Division; Trial Attorney Christina Clark of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section; and Trial Attorneys Jessica Joyce and John Cella of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the criminal case.

The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint and criminal charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.