Info:
In January 2020, Mahmoud Madanipour (Madanipour) and UAE-based Mobin International Limited (Mobin) entered into an agreement with designated Venezuelan state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) to ship gasoline obtained from NIOC to the illegitimate Maduro regime in Venezuela. Upon the request of NIOC’s subsidiary NIOPDC, Madanipour and Mobin chartered multiple vessels to support the transport of tens of thousands of metric tons of gasoline destined for Venezuela;
Mahmoud Madanipour is being designated for having acted or purposed to have acted for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Mobin International Limited. OFAC is also targeting two United Kingdom-based companies of Madanipour; Mobin Holding Limited and Oman Fuel Trading Ltd. Mobin Holding Limited and Oman Fuel Trading Ltd are being designated for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Mahmoud Madanipour;
The Justice Department alleged in a forfeiture complaint that Iranian businessman Mohammad Madanipour – linked to the IRGC – used a web of front companies, including Mobin International to perpetuate the oil scheme;
Mohammad Madanipour arranged a multimillion dollar fuel shipment by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organization, that was bound for Venezuela;
Mobin International Limited (UAE) was established in 2010 as private company. Mobin International Limited (UAE) is active in UAE and MENA countries. Mobin International Limited (UAE) during this years has been able to act as professional and powerful intermediary between UAE entities and their customers for exporting Oil and Gas products outside Middle East;
Sohar Fuel Trading LLC is an independent trading company in the field of Oil, Gas and Petrochemical products and logistics services in Middle East and Far East market;
The Justice Department announced the seizure of three websites used by three front companies: Mobin International, Sohar Fuel, and Oman Fuel, who arranged a multimillion dollar fuel shipment by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organization, that was bound for Venezuela;
On July 2, 2020, the United States filed a complaint seeking to forfeit all petroleum-product cargo aboard four foreign-flagged oil tankers, including the M/T Bella with international maritime organization (IMO) number 9208124, the M/T Bering with IMO number 9149225, the M/T Pandi with IMO number 9105073, and the M/T Luna with IMO number 9208100. A seizure order for the cargo from all four vessels was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia;
On Aug. 14, 2020, the United States announced that it successfully executed the seizure order and confiscated the cargo from all four vessels, totaling approximately 1.116 million barrels of petroleum. With the assistance of foreign partners, this seized property is now in U.S. custody.
Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (http://www.usvsst.com/) after the conclusion of the case.
The forfeiture complaint alleged how Mohammad Madanipour used a web of front companies, including Mobin International to perpetrate this scheme. The websites for Mobin International and related front companies, Sohar Fuel, and Oman Fuel, now display the following splash page noting control by the U.S. government:
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2232, interfering with lawful execution of the United States seizure order may subject a party to criminal penalties for interfering with the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for District of Columbia over the petroleum cargo;
A warrant for arrest and civil forfeiture complaint are merely allegations. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government;
Industry:
Oil Industry
Also Known As:
Mohamad Madanipour
Born:
19 Jul 1978
Country:
United Kingdom
Nationality:
93 Chiltern Road, Sutton, SM2 5QZ, Surry, United Kingdom
Address:
Iranian
Passport:
Y42996343 (Iran) issued 10 Oct 2022
Reason for the color:
» Added to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list maintained by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on October 26, 2020 pursuant to Executive Order 13224, for having acted or purposed to have acted for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Mobin International Limited;
» U.S. Seizure of Three Websites Used by Iranian Front Company that Was Shipping Fuel on Four Tankers to Venezuela – Friday, August 28, 2020;