Key facts
- OFAC added 134 ISIS-K cryptocurrency wallet addresses to its Specially Designated Nationals list.
- Tether has frozen the funds in 131 of these addresses, which were on the Tron network.
- The remaining three sanctioned addresses were on the Monero network.
- Since 2023, the 131 Tron addresses received over $1.4 million in crypto donations.
- Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis identified these wallets and their transaction history.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned 134 cryptocurrency wallet addresses identified as belonging to ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), a designated global terrorist group. The addresses were added to OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list on Wednesday, targeting individuals and entities involved in terrorism and illicit activities.
Stablecoin issuer Tether has frozen the balances associated with 131 of these addresses, which were located on the Tron network. The remaining three sanctioned addresses were on the Monero network, according to a report by blockchain forensics firm Chainalysis. This action follows a previous round of sanctions on June 22, which targeted ISIS-supporting financiers using cryptocurrency.
Chainalysis reported that the 131 Tron addresses received over $1.4 million in cryptocurrency donations since 2023 and subsequently sent out more than $880,000. The group has historically solicited crypto donations through various online platforms. The firm identified multiple donation addresses used by ISIS-K across the Tron, Monero, and Bitcoin networks, noting significant interaction with mainstream services, including cryptocurrency exchanges based in Syria.