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 private companies, and 2 international NGOs
Cold Case · Open
8 years waiting · since 2018
SAJJAD TAHMASEBI
Justice for Multiple victims: 144 U.S. universities, 176 foreign universities, 5 U.S. government agencies, 36 U.S. private companies, 11 foreign private companies, and 2 international NGOs — the trail went cold in 2018, but the truth hasn't.
Start here
Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Why has Tahmasebi remained uncaptured in Iran despite the 2018 indictment, and what diplomatic or intelligence channels could facilitate his extradition?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2What specific proprietary research data was stolen and sold to Iranian entities, and how has it been used by the Iranian government?
📍
location
Lead #3How did the Mabna Institute operate as a private contractor while performing work directly for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps?
Sajjad Tahmasebi is wanted by the FBI for his alleged role in a sophisticated international computer hacking and data theft conspiracy that targeted over 320 universities, government agencies, and private companies across the United States and 21 foreign countries. Operating as a contractor for Iran's Mabna Institute at the direction of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Tahmasebi and his associates allegedly stole proprietary research data and sold it to Iranian entities, causing millions in damages. Despite a federal indictment issued in February 2018, Tahmasebi remains at large in Iran, making his apprehension dependent on international cooperation and intelligence efforts.
Case
#823
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York; Federal Bureau of Investigation
Try asking
Claim this imported case
A one-time $10 claim transfers this imported case workspace to your account. You get 10 uploads for this case, 25 daily AI questions for this case, and public tips with files route to you.
10 uploads25 AI questions/day
This does not start a subscription. When the included limits are reached, the Personal plan unlocks more workspace capacity.
More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
💡
clue
Lead #4Were there accomplices in the United States or abroad who facilitated access to the targeted institutions, and have they been identified or prosecuted?
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: Sajjad Tahmasebi 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. Tahmasebi 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 Tahmasebi on computer intrusion, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges, and a federal arrest warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Remarks: Tahmasebi is known to speak Farsi and resides in Iran.
Timeline of Events
🕵️
2018-02-07
Federal Grand Jury Indictment
Grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York indicted Tahmasebi on computer intrusion, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:February 7, 2018
Last Updated:September 10, 2026
Leave a comment
Comments
Case Information
Incident:February 7, 2018
Last Updated:September 10, 2026