The US Treasury for the first time included in the sanction list of Bitcoin addresses

The US Treasury has officially included Bitcoin addresses associated with two Iranian residents on the individual sanctions list. It is reported by CoinDesk .

According to representatives of the Financial Assets Control Department (OFAC), two Iranian residents, Ali Khorashadizadeh and Mohammad Gorbanian, have been added to the special black list of persons (Specially Designated Nationals List, SDN). At the same time, for the first time in history, Bitcoin addresses are assigned to identifying information, including physical addresses, postal and email addresses, as well as nicknames.

According to representatives of the department, these residents of Iran are associated with transactions carried out through an ransomware program called SamSam. About 200 sites, including companies, hospitals, universities, and government agencies, have become victims of malware.

Also, according to OFAC, the Iranians carried out 7,000 bitcoin transactions to convert about 6,000 BTC to their national currency. After that, fiat money was placed in Iranian banks.

For two years, extortionists of bitcoins performed operations on more than 40 crypto-countertops. Some of the platforms, emphasize in OFAC, are based in the USA.

The ministry announced the inadmissibility of sending funds to these two bitcoin addresses, threatening violators with sanctions.

Recall, for the first time, the possible inclusion of bitcoin addresses in the sanctions list OFAC announced in March .

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