The United States is seeking the forfeiture of Motor Tanker Skipper, an oil tanker seized by the U.S. in December, and approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil cargo supplied by Venezuelan state-run PDVSA, the Justice Department said on Friday.
In its complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the department alleged a scheme dating to 2021 to facilitate the shipment and sale of petroleum products to benefit Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
"During this time, the Skipper moved crude oil from Iran and Venezuela and, through ship-to-ship transfers, delivered it to various locations around the world, including to other rogue regimes," the Justice Department said in a statement.
"The Skipper disguised its illicit activities by spoofing its locations, flying false flags and employing other tactics to obfuscate its routes and conceal its sanctions evasion," it said.
The oil supertanker was seized by the U.S. near Venezuela in December as part of an increased pressure strategy against President Nicolas Maduro, who was captured in a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3.
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