Iranian National Used Fake US Company IDs to Steal Military-Grade Technology for Tehran, Treasury Says

Iranian National Used Fake US Company IDs to Steal Military-Grade Technology for Tehran, Treasury Says The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned an Iran-based procurement network for using fake American business identities to defraud U.S. technology companies. The network, led by Ali Majd Sepehr, allegedly obtained restricted military goods like network security equipment and drone technology for entities controlled by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). This marks a notable instance of an Iranian ring impersonating U.S. businesses to acquire export-controlled defense technology.

• U.S. Treasury Department blacklisted an Iran-based procurement ring.
• The ring used fake American businesses to deceive U.S. technology companies.
• Iranian national Ali Majd Sepehr allegedly created false U.S. business identities.
• The network defrauded U.S. IT firms, resellers, and vendors out of millions of dollars.
• Procured goods included network security equipment, encryption hardware/software, spectrum analyzers, and non-linear junction detectors.
• Goods were intended for MODAFL-controlled entities, including Sairan Information Exchange Space Security Industries Company.
• MODAFL oversees Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs.
• This is one of the first known cases of an Iranian procurement network impersonating American businesses for defense technology.