US unseals warrant seeking seizure of Iranian oil tanker Grace 1

WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (KUNA) -- A seizure warrant and forfeiture complaint were unsealed Friday in the US District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that Iranian "Oil Tanker Grace 1, all petroleum aboard it and USD 995,000.00 are subject to forfeiture based on violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), bank fraud statute, and money laundering statute, as well as separately the terrorism forfeiture statute." The Department of Justice said in a statement that "the documents allege a scheme to unlawfully access the US financial system to support illicit shipments to Syria from Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organization." It added that the scheme involves "multiple parties affiliated with the IRGC and furthered by the deceptive voyages of the Grace 1. A network of front companies allegedly laundered millions of dollars in support of such shipments." "A seizure warrant is merely an allegation. Every criminal defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty, and the burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government," the statement noted. (end) si