The U.S. State Department, under the “Rewards for Justice” program, has offered up to $15 million for information that leads to the disruption of Iran’s oil sanctions evasion network and the financial mechanisms of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The State Department, through the “Rewards for Justice” program, announced that it will pay up to $15 million for information that disrupts the financial mechanisms of the IRGC, including its Quds Force, or the network linked to “Wang Shaoyun.”
Help us stop PRC-financial support for the IRGC terrorist organization.
The IRGC earns revenue from the illicit sale and shipment of Iranian oil to PRC-owned refineries.
If you have information on entities or individuals linked to IRGC oil shipments and sales, contact us today! pic.twitter.com/9bpO2z2iVA
— Rewards for Justice (@RFJ_USA) September 10, 2025
According to official announcements, the reward covers two categories of information: first, any leads that disrupt the IRGC and Quds Force financial systems; second, information that undermines the illegal financial activities of Wang Shaoyun. U.S. officials say Wang and his associates, through shell companies in China, Oman, and Turkey, sold Iranian sanctioned oil to Chinese state-owned refineries and channeled the proceeds for the benefit of the Quds Force. The FBI stated that this network conducted over $100 million in transactions using the U.S. financial system illegally.
How did the sanctions evasion scheme work?
The official account describes a cross-border network scheme involving ship-to-ship transfers to conceal the Iranian origin of cargoes, issuing falsified or misleading documents about destination and ownership, and routing payments through U.S. banks.
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Among the key figures was “Mahmood Al Hasbi,” an Omani citizen, who in June 2020 purchased the tanker M/T Pride of Oman using a $16.5 million loan from U.S. financial institutions. From July that year, he began transferring Iranian oil cargoes to third-party vessels for shipment to Chinese buyers. U.S. officials say some Turkish, Omani, and American individuals and entities also facilitated the process.
Legal status and charges
On January 25, 2024, a federal court in Washington, D.C. issued an arrest warrant for Wang. The charges include violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), violations of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), conspiracy to commit money laundering, and laundering of monetary instruments. An arrest warrant was also issued for Al Hasbi around the same time.
According to the FBI, Wang was in contact with senior IRGC officials to coordinate purchases, and millions of dollars of related transactions were processed through U.S. banks. As a legal reminder, all individuals named remain under indictment until a final ruling is issued.
Why is this important now?
According to Washington’s assessment, China is the main buyer of Iranian oil, and most of Iran’s shipments head there. Therefore, shutting down sanction evasion routes, particularly those linked to Chinese state-owned refineries, is a key pillar of sanctions pressure. The U.S. State Department has called on anyone with information about Wang Shaoyun, Mahmood Al Hasbi, their associates, and related financial networks to contact the designated channels for review under the “Rewards for Justice” program.
