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Every state-changing event for Ivan Obukhov / Foscom FZE: moderation decisions on community submissions, plus corrections and updates from the news pipeline. URL-based decisions are designed to carry three independent witnesses — the original source, an Internet Archive snapshot, and a Solana memo signed by our publicly-disclosed publisher key. Archive coverage is still being backfilled, so each decision below reports its own snapshot status rather than assuming one exists.

1. #1publishby system:backfill

   2026-08-27 23:06:06Z
   Score: ? → ? (no score change)
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   {"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"41b556a3-cc0a-43cd-a3f4-64c5be6c75c0","kind":"publish","page_slug":"ivan-obukhov-foscom-fze","published_at":"2026-08-27T23:06:06.067Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Ivan Obukhov / Foscom FZE","sections":[{"content":"On August 24, 2026, the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added Ivan Obukhov and Foscom FZE to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List under Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886. Both were designated under the [SDGT] and [IFSR] designation categories. The action was part of Operation Economic Outcast, a campaign Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described as an 'unprecedented, whole-of-government, economic campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers.' The designation cites Obukhov for materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support to the IRGC-Qods Force, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. Foscom FZE was designated pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for being owned, controlled, or directed by Obukhov. The action is a formal U.S. government finding; no court adjudication on the underlying conduct has occurred as of the date of this report.","heading":"OFAC Designation — Operation Economic Outcast","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"OFAC Recent Actions — August 24, 2026 Iran-related Designations","type":"regulatory","url":"https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260824"},{"credibility":1,"name":"U.S. Treasury Press Release — Operation Economic Outcast (sb0613)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0613"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Federal Register Notice of OFAC Sanctions Action 2026-17613","type":"regulatory","url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-17613.pdf"}]},{"content":"According to U.S. Treasury, since 2023 Obukhov processed more than $100 million worth of cryptocurrency payments to facilitate oil sales on behalf of the IRGC-Qods Force. Treasury's characterization is that digital assets were embedded within oil-logistics infrastructure — functioning as a payment channel — rather than flowing through licensed exchanges. Treasury has not publicly disclosed specific blockchain wallet addresses for Obukhov or Foscom FZE in connection with this action. The $100 million figure represents Treasury's allegation; no independent blockchain firm has publicly corroborated or quantified the Obukhov-specific flows as of the date of this report. The designation is a regulatory finding under counterterrorism authorities, not a criminal conviction.","heading":"Alleged Role as Crypto Payment Intermediary for IRGC-Qods Force Oil Sales","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"U.S. Treasury Press Release — Operation Economic Outcast (sb0613)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0613"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinTelegraph — US Targets Iran Crypto Sector Over $100M Oil Payments","type":"news_article","url":"https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-targets-iran-crypto-sector-100m-oil-payments"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CryptoTimes — US Treasury Names Digital Assets a Sanctionable Sector of Iran's Economy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/08/25/us-treasury-names-digital-assets-a-sanctionable-sector-of-irans-economy/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Decrypt — US Can Now Sanction Anyone Operating in Iran's Crypto Sector","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/376424/us-can-now-sanction-anyone-operating-in-irans-crypto-sector"}]},{"content":"Foscom FZE is registered at First Floor, C1 Building, Ajman Free Zone, Ajman, United Arab Emirates (Company Number: 10315473; License: 15735; Chamber of Commerce Number: 85499). The company was originally established on September 15, 2015. Obukhov acquired it in 2022 and served as its owner and general manager. The company's publicly described business activities include trading in soft and hard commodities (including oil products) and freight operations on tankers and bulk carriers. OFAC designated Foscom FZE on August 24, 2026, under Executive Order 13224 as an entity linked to Obukhov. All assets of the entity subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with it.","heading":"Foscom FZE — Corporate Profile and Designation","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"OFAC Recent Actions — August 24, 2026 Iran-related Designations","type":"regulatory","url":"https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260824"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Federal Register Notice of OFAC Sanctions Action 2026-17613","type":"regulatory","url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-17613.pdf"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Currency Analytics — US Treasury Hits Nobitex and Foscom FZE in $100M Iran Crypto Crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://thecurrencyanalytics.com/stable-coins/us-treasury-hits-nobitex-and-foscom-fze-in-100m-iran-crypto-crackdown-287453"}]},{"content":"U.S. Treasury alleges that Obukhov has for years served as a broker for Iranian shadow-fleet vessels facilitating Iranian military oil shipments. In coordination with Mohammad Ahmed Suhil Fattouh, a UAE-based Syrian national also designated on August 24, 2026 (and known as 'Captain Hamzah'), Obukhov is alleged to have purchased vessels that were subsequently deployed in sanctions-evasion activities. Fattouh operates Dubai-based Amdeh Ship Management and Operation Co. L.L.C. The August 24, 2026 action also blocked five tankers, including the QUANTUM HOPE (Vanuatu-flagged, owned by Hong Kong-registered Riqueza Group Ltd) and VOYAGE ELITE (Gambia-flagged, owned by China-based Lilimoon Navigation Inc.), which Treasury alleged transported millions of barrels of Iranian oil to China in early 2026. Treasury has not publicly specified which vessels, if any, were directly acquired by Obukhov; the connection to these specific tankers is drawn from the broader Operation Economic Outcast action.","heading":"Shadow Fleet Brokering and Vessel Acquisition","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"U.S. Treasury Press Release — Operation Economic Outcast (sb0613)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0613"},{"credibility":2,"name":"gCaptain — Trump Administration Launches Sweeping New Iran Sanctions Campaign Targeting Shipping and Oil Trade","type":"news_article","url":"https://gcaptain.com/trump-administration-launches-sweeping-new-iran-sanctions-campaign-targeting-shipping-and-oil-trade/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Al Jazeera — Trump's Latest Wave of Iran Sanctions: Which 60 Entities Are Targeted?","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/8/25/trumps-latest-wave-of-iran-sanctions-which-60-entities-are-targeted"}]},{"content":"The Obukhov/Foscom FZE designations occurred within a broader U.S. campaign against Iranian cryptocurrency infrastructure. Separately, on August 7, 2026, OFAC sanctioned Shelbit — an unlicensed Dubai-registered exchange whose founder is Siavash Kayvanpour — after blockchain analytics firm TRM Labs traced more than $6.3 billion in flows through the platform between May 2024 and March 2026. TRM Labs identified $5.6 million across 36 transfers from Shelbit to wallets associated with the IRGC. Approximately 88% of Shelbit volume moved on TRON in USDT-TRC20. Iran-based exchange Aban Tether was also separately designated. Obukhov and Foscom FZE are distinct from the Shelbit and Aban Tether entities; no publicly available source has established a direct transactional link between Obukhov and the Shelbit network as of this report.","heading":"Broader Iran Crypto Network Context — Shelbit and Related Exchanges","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"TRM Labs — How Shelbit Became a USD 6.3 Billion Settlement Layer for Iran's Illicit Economy","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/how-shelbit-became-a-usd-6-3-billion-settlement-layer-for-irans-illicit-economy"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Bloomberg — Iran-Linked Crypto Exchange Handled $6.3 Billion, TRM Says","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-07/iran-linked-crypto-exchange-handled-6-3-billion-trm-says"},{"credibility":2,"name":"TRM Labs — Operation Economic Outcast: Treasury Sanctions Nearly 60 Iran-linked Targets","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/operation-economic-outcast-treasury-sanctions-nearly-60-iran-linked-targets-and-names-digital-assets-a-sanctionable-sector"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinDesk — U.S. Widens Iran Crackdown to Encompass Crypto, Gold, Shipping and Technology","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2026/08/25/u-s-widens-iran-crackdown-to-encompass-crypto-gold-shipping-and-technology"}]},{"content":"As part of Operation Economic Outcast, OFAC issued five new sectoral determinations under Executive Order 13902, including a determination designating Iran's digital asset sector as sanctionable for the first time. This means OFAC now has authority to sanction any foreign person, anywhere in the world, determined to operate in or provide material support to Iran's digital asset sector — regardless of direct ties to any previously listed entity. The Obukhov and Foscom FZE designations were made under the counterterrorism authority of Executive Order 13224, not the new sectoral determination; however, the concurrent sectoral action significantly elevates systemic risk for any entity transacting with Iran-linked crypto channels.","heading":"Digital Asset Sector Designation — Systemic Sanctions Risk","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"U.S. Treasury Press Release — Operation Economic Outcast (sb0613)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0613"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Decrypt — US Can Now Sanction Anyone Operating in Iran's Crypto Sector","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/376424/us-can-now-sanction-anyone-operating-in-irans-crypto-sector"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinDesk — U.S. Widens Iran Crackdown to Encompass Crypto, Gold, Shipping and Technology","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2026/08/25/u-s-widens-iran-crackdown-to-encompass-crypto-gold-shipping-and-technology"}]},{"content":"OFAC's SDN List entry for Ivan Obukhov includes the following identifying details as extracted from the Federal Register notice: Date of Birth: June 17, 1983; Nationality: Ukraine; Gender: Male; Location: United Arab Emirates. Passports: Ukrainian passport GB253946 (expires September 29, 2031), alternative Ukrainian passport PU715824, and a Saint Lucia passport RA018981. Foscom FZE's registered address is First Floor, C1 Building, Ajman Free Zone, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Company Number 10315473; License 15735; Chamber of Commerce Number 85499; established September 15, 2015.","heading":"Identifying Information","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"OFAC Recent Actions — August 24, 2026 Iran-related Designations","type":"regulatory","url":"https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260824"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Federal Register Notice of OFAC Sanctions Action 2026-17613","type":"regulatory","url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-17613.pdf"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"OFAC Recent Actions — August 24, 2026 Iran-related Designations","type":"regulatory","url":"https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260824"},{"credibility":1,"name":"U.S. Treasury Press Release — Operation Economic Outcast (sb0613)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0613"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Federal Register Notice of OFAC Sanctions Action 2026-17613","type":"regulatory","url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-17613.pdf"},{"credibility":2,"name":"TRM Labs — Operation Economic Outcast: Treasury Sanctions Nearly 60 Iran-linked Targets","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/operation-economic-outcast-treasury-sanctions-nearly-60-iran-linked-targets-and-names-digital-assets-a-sanctionable-sector"},{"credibility":2,"name":"TRM Labs — How Shelbit Became a USD 6.3 Billion Settlement Layer for Iran's Illicit Economy","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/how-shelbit-became-a-usd-6-3-billion-settlement-layer-for-irans-illicit-economy"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Bloomberg — Iran-Linked Crypto Exchange Handled $6.3 Billion, TRM Says","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-07/iran-linked-crypto-exchange-handled-6-3-billion-trm-says"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinDesk — U.S. Widens Iran Crackdown to Encompass Crypto, Gold, Shipping and Technology","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2026/08/25/u-s-widens-iran-crackdown-to-encompass-crypto-gold-shipping-and-technology"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinTelegraph — US Targets Iran Crypto Sector Over $100M Oil Payments","type":"news_article","url":"https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-targets-iran-crypto-sector-100m-oil-payments"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Decrypt — US Can Now Sanction Anyone Operating in Iran's Crypto Sector","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/376424/us-can-now-sanction-anyone-operating-in-irans-crypto-sector"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CryptoTimes — US Treasury Names Digital Assets a Sanctionable Sector of Iran's Economy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/08/25/us-treasury-names-digital-assets-a-sanctionable-sector-of-irans-economy/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"gCaptain — Trump Administration Launches Sweeping New Iran Sanctions Campaign Targeting Shipping and Oil Trade","type":"news_article","url":"https://gcaptain.com/trump-administration-launches-sweeping-new-iran-sanctions-campaign-targeting-shipping-and-oil-trade/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Al Jazeera — Trump's Latest Wave of Iran Sanctions: Which 60 Entities Are Targeted?","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/8/25/trumps-latest-wave-of-iran-sanctions-which-60-entities-are-targeted"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Currency Analytics — US Treasury Hits Nobitex and Foscom FZE in $100M Iran Crypto Crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://thecurrencyanalytics.com/stable-coins/us-treasury-hits-nobitex-and-foscom-fze-in-100m-iran-crypto-crackdown-287453"}],"summary":"Ivan Obukhov is a UAE-based Ukrainian national designated by OFAC on August 24, 2026, as part of Operation Economic Outcast. U.S. Treasury alleges that since 2023 he processed over $100 million in cryptocurrency payments to facilitate oil sales on behalf of the IRGC-Qods Force, and that he has for years brokered Iranian shadow-fleet vessels. His UAE-registered company Foscom FZE, which he acquired in 2022, was simultaneously designated under Executive Order 13224 as an entity controlled by Obukhov.","timeline":[{"date":"2015-09-15","event":"Foscom FZE incorporated in the Ajman Free Zone, UAE (Company Number 10315473).","source":"OFAC SDN List / Federal Register 2026-17613","source_url":"https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260824"},{"date":"2022-01-01","event":"Ivan Obukhov acquires Foscom FZE and assumes role of owner and general manager. Exact date within 2022 not publicly specified.","source":"U.S. Treasury Press Release sb0613","source_url":"https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0613"},{"date":"2023-01-01","event":"According to U.S. Treasury, Obukhov begins processing cryptocurrency payments to facilitate oil sales on behalf of the IRGC-Qods Force. Exact date within 2023 not specified; Treasury states activity began 'since 2023.'","source":"U.S. Treasury Press Release sb0613","source_url":"https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0613"},{"date":"2026-08-07","event":"OFAC separately sanctions Shelbit exchange and its founder Siavash Kayvanpour; TRM Labs publishes analysis tracing $6.3 billion in flows through Shelbit between May 2024 and March 2026, including $5.6 million to IRGC-linked wallets.","source":"TRM Labs / Bloomberg","source_url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/how-shelbit-became-a-usd-6-3-billion-settlement-layer-for-irans-illicit-economy"},{"date":"2026-08-24","event":"OFAC designates Ivan Obukhov and Foscom FZE to the SDN List under Executive Order 13224 as part of Operation Economic Outcast. Nearly 60 entities, individuals, and vessels designated in the same action. OFAC simultaneously issues a sectoral determination naming Iran's digital asset sector as sanctionable under Executive Order 13902.","source":"U.S. Treasury / OFAC","source_url":"https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0613"}]},"v":1}

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