The person at the center of this case
Multiple victims: 144 U.S. universities, 176 foreign universities, 5 U.S. government agencies, 36 U.S. private companies, 11 foreign companies, 2 international NGOs
Cold Case · Open
8 years waiting · since 2018
MOHAMMED REZA SABAHI
Justice for Multiple victims: 144 U.S. universities, 176 foreign universities, 5 U.S. government agencies, 36 U.S. private companies, 11 foreign companies, 2 international NGOs — the trail went cold in 2018, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1What is Sabahi's current location and operational status within Iran's government contractor network?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2How much proprietary research and intellectual property from U.S. universities and government agencies was successfully exfiltrated and to whom?
👤
person
Lead #3Who are the other members of the conspiracy network at Mabna Institute and in Iranian government agencies involved in directing these operations?
Mohammed Reza Sabahi is a contractor for Iran's Mabna Institute wanted for orchestrating a massive computer hacking conspiracy that targeted 144 U.S. universities, 176 foreign universities, and numerous government and private entities to steal proprietary data and research. The stolen information was sold to Iranian customers including universities and the Iranian government at the direction of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Sabahi remains at large in Iran, and investigators continue seeking information about his network, methods, and the full scope of compromised systems and stolen intellectual property.
Case
#1176
Iran (suspect residence); United States and 21 countries (victim locations)
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York; Federal Bureau of Investigation
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
💡
clue
Lead #4What specific hacking techniques and infrastructure did Sabahi use to compromise 320+ universities and government systems?
📞
contact
Lead #5Are there any known associates or co-conspirators in the United States or allied countries who facilitated the data theft?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Conspiracy to Commit Computer Hacking; Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; Computer Fraud - Unauthorized Access for Private Financial Gain; Wire Fraud; Aggravated Identity Theft Caution: Mohammed Reza Sabahi is wanted for his alleged involvement in criminal activities, including obtaining unauthorized access to computer systems, stealing proprietary data from those systems, and selling that stolen data to Iranian customers such as Iranian universities and the Iranian government. Sabahi was a contractor for the Mabna Institute , a private government contractor based in the Islamic Republic of Iran that performed this work for the Iranian government, at the behest of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Victims of the scheme included approximately 144 universities in the United States, 176 foreign universities in 21 countries, five federal and state government agencies in the United States, 36 private companies in the United States, 11 foreign private companies, and two international non-governmental organizations. On February 7, 2018, a grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York indicted Sabahi on computer intrusion, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges, and a federal arrest warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Remarks: Sabahi is known to speak Farsi and resides in Iran.
Timeline of Events
🕵️
2018-02-07
Federal Grand Jury Indictment
Grand jury in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York indicted Sabahi on computer intrusion, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges; federal arrest warrant issued
Case Information
Incident:February 7, 2018
Last Updated:October 30, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:February 7, 2018
Last Updated:October 30, 2026