- The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national, for operating the illicit Nemesis darknet marketplace
- Nemesis, which facilitated the sale of drugs, stolen data, and cybercrime services, was shut down in a law enforcement operation in March 2024
- OFAC has identified 44 Bitcoin and 5 Monero addresses linked to Parsarad, who allegedly moved over $1.6 million through cryptocurrency exchanges
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national accused of running the Nemesis darknet marketplace. The platform, which was taken down in a multinational operation, specialized in the sale of illegal goods, including narcotics, stolen data, and hacking services. Despite its shutdown, authorities claim Parsarad has been trying to reestablish the operation, prompting OFAC’s latest financial restrictions.
Nemesis: A Hub for Cybercrime
Launched in 2021, Nemesis quickly became one of the largest darknet markets, with over 150,000 users and more than 1,100 vendors. Criminals used the platform to trade illicit goods, taking advantage of cryptocurrency transactions to conceal their identities. In March 2024, a coordinated operation led by German authorities dismantled the marketplace, seizing its servers in Germany and Lithuania. While this disrupted its activities, investigators believe Parsarad is actively working to revive the operation.
In an effort to curb his activities, OFAC has designated 44 Bitcoin addresses and 5 Monero addresses linked to Parsarad. Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis reports that these wallets received approximately $850,000, which later appreciated to $1.6 million before being moved through three centralized exchanges. Authorities suspect these transactions were intended to cash out illicit profits while evading detection.
U.S. Crackdown on Darknet Marketplaces
The U.S. Treasury’s latest sanctions are part of an ongoing effort to target darknet operators who exploit cryptocurrency for illegal activities, as well as a crackdown on drugs entering the U.S. The designation of Parsarad aims to freeze his assets and prevent financial institutions from facilitating his transactions, massively hampering his ability to use his ill-gotten gains.
By restricting his access to financial services and digital currencies, authorities hope to further disrupt darknet marketplaces and prevent their resurgence.
