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
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 companies, 2 international NGOs — the trail went cold in 2018, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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suspect
Lead #1Why has Tahmasebi remained in Iran despite the federal arrest warrant, and what diplomatic or extradition efforts have been pursued?
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evidence
Lead #2What specific proprietary data and research was stolen, and how has it been used by Iranian government entities?
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contact
Lead #3Were there accomplices or intermediaries in the United States who facilitated access to the targeted institutions?
Sajjad Tahmasebi is wanted by the FBI for his alleged role in a massive cyber espionage conspiracy that targeted over 300 universities and dozens of government agencies and private companies across the United States and internationally. Operating as a contractor for Iran's Mabna Institute at the direction of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Tahmasebi allegedly orchestrated the theft of proprietary research data and sold it to Iranian government entities and universities. He remains at large in Iran, and locating him requires international cooperation and intelligence sharing to prevent further cyber theft targeting American institutions.
Case
#823
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.
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clue
Lead #4How can international law enforcement improve coordination to apprehend suspects operating from Iran?
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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
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2018-02-07
Federal Indictment Issued
Grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York indicted Sajjad Tahmasebi on computer intrusion, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges. Federal arrest warrant issued.
Key Locations
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Case Information
Incident:February 7, 2018
Last Updated:June 14, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:February 7, 2018
Last Updated:June 14, 2026