The U.S. Department of the Treasury has taken a firm stance against cybercrime by imposing sanctions on Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national who served as the administrator of the darknet marketplace known as Nemesis. This marketplace was notorious for facilitating the illegal sale of drugs, hacking services, and false identification documents.
Nemesis, which was established in 2021, boasted over 30,000 active users and 1,000 vendors. U.S. officials revealed that transactions on the platform amounted to nearly $30 million, with sales of fentanyl being a significant part of the illicit trade conducted on the darknet. The marketplace was equipped with sophisticated money laundering features, providing cybercriminals and drug traffickers with a secure environment to operate.
Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith condemned Parsarad’s role in enabling the production and distribution of illegal narcotics through the Nemesis platform. The Treasury Department, in collaboration with U.S. law enforcement agencies, remains committed to dismantling darknet marketplaces and holding individuals like Parsarad accountable for their criminal activities.
Darknet marketplaces like Nemesis allowed for the sale of dangerous substances like fentanyl, often mixed with other harmful substances, and provided services for hacking into online accounts. The encrypted nature of these platforms offered users anonymity, making them key players in the global landscape of cybercrime.
In a coordinated effort in March 2024, law enforcement agencies from the U.S., Germany, and Lithuania joined forces to seize Nemesis’ servers and effectively shut down the marketplace. Despite this takedown, Parsarad has reportedly been actively working to recreate a similar platform and has maintained contact with former vendors.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against Parsarad, marking its first designation as a member of the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) Team led by the FBI. By targeting individuals and entities involved in narcotics proliferation, the sanctions imposed under Executive Order 14059 align with previous actions against illicit marketplaces like Genesis Market and Hydra Market.
In addition to sanctioning Parsarad, OFAC identified 49 virtual currency addresses linked to his financial operations, which were allegedly used for laundering funds related to narcotics trafficking and cybercrime. The Treasury Department emphasized the critical role of darknet marketplaces in facilitating global drug trade and highlighted the adverse impact of these platforms on the fentanyl crisis in the United States.
The repercussions of the sanctions against Parsarad are significant, with all his assets and interests within the U.S. or under U.S. control now frozen. Financial institutions and individuals engaging with the sanctioned entity may face severe penalties for violating U.S. sanctions regulations. Strict enforcement measures are in place to deter any form of support extended to Parsarad or entities under his control.
The crackdown on Parsarad and Nemesis represents a crucial step towards combating cyber-enabled crime and drug trafficking on a global scale. By disrupting the financial infrastructure supporting these illicit platforms, law enforcement agencies aim to restrict the operations of cybercriminals and drug traffickers. While Parsarad may attempt to revive similar operations, authorities are determined to track and dismantle such criminal enterprises.
As the battle against online crime persists, the sanctions against Parsarad serve as a substantial stride in safeguarding the digital realm from illicit activities. Coordinated international efforts remain imperative in addressing the challenges posed by darknet marketplaces and mitigating the threats of cybercrime on a global scale.