🤑 Israel Snatches $1.5B in Tether: Iran’s Crypto Party Spoiled! 🎉

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Darling, gather ’round! Israel’s Ministry of Defense has swooped in like a diva at a discount sale, seizing 187 cryptocurrency wallets allegedly linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). How utterly *fabulous*! 💃

My dear, this little escapade highlights the *increasingly dramatic* use of cryptocurrency in sanctioned states. It comes hot on the heels of the US Justice Department’s own little heist, snatching $584,741 in USDT from an Iranian national tied to the IRGC’s drone program. Oh, the *intrigue*! 🕵️♂️

🤑 $1.5B in Crypto Wallets Seized by Israel: The Show Must Go On! 🎭

Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) and Defense Minister Israel Katz, darling of the hour, announced Monday the seizure order against 187 wallets, citing authority under the Anti-Terrorism Law of 2016. Apparently, these wallets once processed $1.5 billion in Tether but now hold a mere $1.5 million. How *tragically* ironic! 😂

Katz, ever the wordsmith, wrote in the Administrative Seizure Order that the funds were either the property of the IRGC or “used for the perpetration of a severe terror crime.” The IRGC, of course, remains designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, the European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom. How *charming*! 🌍

Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, never one to miss a party, integrated the seized addresses into its monitoring system. This allows exchanges and institutions to screen transactions. Elliptic confirmed the wallets received the funds but noted, with a wink and a nod, that not all may be directly controlled by the IRGC. How *convenient*! 😉

“Some of the addresses may be controlled by cryptocurrency services and could be part of wallet infrastructure used to facilitate transactions for many customers,” Elliptic noted, with a touch of *sarcasm*. 🧐

Tether, issuer of the $110 billion-plus market cap stablecoin, blacklisted 39 of the wallets on September 13, blocking further transactions. The company has a history of cooperating with law enforcement by freezing funds tied to illicit finance, a practice enabled by USDT’s centralized control structure. How *very* Big Brother of them! 👮♂️

🕵️♂️ A Broader Crackdown on IRGC’s Expanding Crypto Use: The Plot Thickens! 📈

The Israeli move is the latest in a series of international actions targeting the IRGC’s crypto networks. The IRGC has faced repeated allegations of using cryptocurrency to skirt sanctions. In June, the pro-Israel hacking group Gonjeshke Darande drained $90 million from Iranian exchange Nobitex, accusing it of IRGC links. How *deliciously* dramatic! 💥

In December 2024, the US Treasury sanctioned addresses tied to Sa’id Ahmad Muhammad al-Jamal. He had funneled $332 million in USDT to Yemen’s Houthi movement with IRGC assistance. Last week, the US Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts filed a civil forfeiture action against Mohammad Abedini, seizing $584,741 in USDT connected to the IRGC’s drone program. Oh, the *scandal*! 🚁

Analysts warn that the latest seizures underscore how cryptocurrencies-while transparent and traceable-can serve sanctioned states seeking liquidity. How *very* 21st century! 💸

“Rumors of IRGC using cryptocurrency to circumvent sanctions have persisted for years,” said Amir Rashidi, director at the Iran-focused nonprofit Miaan Group. “Some cases may involve exchanges not directly part of the IRGC but connected through complex financial networks.” How *intricately* devious! 🕸️

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2025-09-16 05:22