THE US has imposed sanctions on nearly 60 individuals and entities, including members of the Mabna Institute, a hacking group associated with the Iranian regime, as part of "Operation Economic Outcast." This initiative aims to disrupt financial support to Tehran, with five individuals from the Mabna Institute charged for cyber-espionage against US and foreign universities and companies since at least 2013.
The sanctions target cryptocurrency addresses linked to these individuals, totaling around $16.8 million in assets. Compliance teams in financial institutions are now required to scrutinize transactions to prevent interactions with Iranian entities or those linked to the Mabna Institute to avoid penalties from the US government.