Washington Sanctions an Indian Network Selling Fake Flags to Iran's Shadow Fleet
On 4 November 2026 OFAC designated an India-based network that Treasury says sold false flags and fake maritime certificates to tankers carrying Iranian oil. Suniel Kumar Sharma and his wife Jaspreet Preeti Shahid are accused of running companies that posed as flag registries for Aruba, Guyana, Mali, Mozambique, Malawi, Sint Maarten and Timor-Leste; most of those governments have disavowed them. Two associates and nine companies in Chandigarh, Kerala and Singapore, including a self-styled Eswatini ship registry, were designated with them under Executive Order 13902, as was Istanbul ground handler Fugo Aviation for serving sanctioned Iranian airlines. Under the Iran conventional arms order OFAC listed Alisher Domullodzhanov and added the programme to two existing entries, one of them Vanguard Tactical Supply of Abuja. OFAC also issued an alert on false flags and Venezuela General License 5AA. The same day Australia designated Sudan's Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Hemedti and three others under its human rights sanctions.
This issue
- New designations
- 20
- Removals
- 0
- Entries amended
- 2
- Sources monitored
- 100
The Registry That Was Not a Registry
Treasury designated Suniel Kumar Sharma under Executive Order 13902 for operating in Iran's petroleum sector. It says Sharma and Shahid ran companies posing as flag registries and maritime service providers, imitating the registries of Aruba, Guyana, Mali, Mozambique, Malawi, Sint Maarten and Timor-Leste, and that most of those governments have disavowed them. Shahid was designated for supporting him, and Ashwani Kumar Dhiman and Ishwinder Singh for acting for Aryavart Ship Management. The designated companies include Eswatini Maritime Affairs and International Ship Registry Pte. Ltd. in Singapore and eight Indian firms, from ship management to finance, media and a Kerala boating company set up in February 2026.
Istanbul's Fugo Ground Services Inc, trading as Fugo Aviation, was designated under the same order for ground handling for sanctioned Iranian airlines. Under the Iran conventional arms order, E.O. 13949, OFAC listed Alisher Domullodzhanov of Moscow Oblast without published grounds and added the same programme to two existing entries: Mohammed Ali Tolibov of Belarus and Vanguard Tactical Supply Limited of Wuse 2, Abuja. In Canberra, the Foreign Minister designated Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo Mousa (Hemedti), West Darfur's de facto governor, a Rapid Support Forces field commander and the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade under Australia's human rights sanctions.
Party detail
Every row below was read against the issuing authority's own notice, not against a press report. Aliases are reproduced in full, including non Latin script forms, because the alias field is where a screening run usually fails. Identifiers are published sanctions data.
| Party | Action and instrument | Identifiers | Grounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suniel Kumar Sharma | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Date of birth: 7 Oct 1979Place of birth: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaNationality: IndiaPassport: Z5925452 (India), expires 27 Jul 2030Identifier: websites amaocr.orgIdentifier: epnicaragua.orgIdentifier: ema.org.szIdentifier: msta-registry.comIdentifier: mstaregistry.comIdentifier: imsagregistry.wordpress.comIdentifier: smmrm.comIdentifier: timorleste-registry.orgAddress: Chandigarh, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy. Treasury says he and his wife ran companies posing as flag registries and maritime service providers that sold false flags and fake certifications, imitating registries of countries including Aruba, Guyana, Mali, Mozambique, Malawi, Sint Maarten and Timor-Leste, so that sanctioned vessels could keep carrying Iranian petroleum. |
| Jaspreet Preeti Shahid | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Date of birth: 22 Aug 1980Place of birth: Chandigarh, IndiaNationality: IndiaRegistration number: 03563403 (India)Address: Chandigarh, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for having materially assisted, sponsored or provided support to Suniel Kumar Sharma, her husband, in the fake flag-registry scheme Treasury describes. Treasury says most of the network's companies are owned or controlled by her or act for her. |
| Ashwani Kumar Dhiman | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Date of birth: 1 Mar 1980Nationality: IndiaRegistration number: 08188219 (India)Address: Chandigarh, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of Aryavart Ship Management Private Limited, a company in the Sharma and Shahid network. |
| Ishwinder Singh | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Date of birth: 1 Apr 1992Nationality: IndiaRegistration number: 08409602 (India)Address: Chandigarh, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of Aryavart Ship Management Private Limited, a company in the Sharma and Shahid network. |
| Eswatini Maritime Affairs and International Ship Registry Pte. Ltd. | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Registration number: 202338388W (Singapore)Identifier: established 25 Sep 2023Address: 10 Jalan Besar, #07-06 Sim Lim Tower, 208787, Singapore | Designated under E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, as part of the Sharma and Shahid fake flag-registry network. |
| Oceaniek Technologies India | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Tax ID: AAIFO2899P (India)Registration number: UDYAM-CH-01-0023384 (India)Identifier: established 16 Dec 2022Address: S.C.O. 86, Sector 44C, Chandigarh 160047, India; Plot No. C-205, SM Heights, Mohali, Punjab 160055, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Suniel Kumar Sharma. |
| Aryavart Ship Management Private Limited | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Tax ID: AAJCA7074N (India)Registration number: U74900CH2011PTC033139 (India)Identifier: established 27 Jul 2011Address: SCO-318, 1st Floor Sector 38-D, Chandigarh 160036, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, as part of the Sharma and Shahid fake flag-registry network. |
| Precept Trends Private Limited | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Tax ID: AAMCP8147L (India)Registration number: U18100CH2022PTC044314 (India)Identifier: established 12 Apr 2022Address: S.C.O. 86 First Floor, Sector 44C, Chandigarh 160047, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, as part of the Sharma and Shahid fake flag-registry network. |
| Polynesia Maritime Private Limited | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Tax ID: AAICP0398K (India)Registration number: U74900CH2015PTC035391 (India)Identifier: established 27 Jan 2015Address: H No 3335 CHD Police Society, Sector 51 D, Chandigarh 160047, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, as part of the Sharma and Shahid fake flag-registry network. |
| Alexarya Finserv Private Limited | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Tax ID: AARCA3945Q (India)Registration number: U67100CH2018PTC042186 (India)Identifier: established 27 Sep 2018Address: SCO-318, 2nd Floor Sector 38D, Chandigarh 160036, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, as part of the Sharma and Shahid fake flag-registry network. |
| Alexarya Media and Entertainment Private Limited | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Tax ID: AAQCA4372G (India)Registration number: U93000CH2018PTC041837 (India)Identifier: established 16 Jan 2018Address: SCO-318, Sector 38-D, Chandigarh 160036, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, as part of the Sharma and Shahid fake flag-registry network. |
| Viharaboating Private Limited | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Registration number: U55101KL2026PTC100900 (India)Identifier: established 12 Feb 2026Address: Building No 4, Pallippuram P O, Pallippuram, Cherthala, Alappuzha, Kerala 688541, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, as part of the Sharma and Shahid fake flag-registry network. |
| Aryavart Maritime and Educational Trust | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Registration number: CH/2024/0406033 (India)Identifier: established 21 Jul 2016Address: SCO 373, Sector 37 D, Chandigarh, India | Designated under E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted for or on behalf of, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, as part of the Sharma and Shahid fake flag-registry network. |
| Fugo Ground Services Inc | DesignationExecutive Order 13902 (Iran: petroleum, petrochemical and aviation sectors); SDN tag [IRAN-EO13902] | Tax ID: 3881357595 (Turkey)Chamber of commerce number: 1210423 (Turkey)Registration number: 220631-5 (Turkey)Identifier: Central Registration System Number 0388135759500001 (Turkey)Identifier: established 28 Nov 2019Identifier: website fugoaviation.comAddress: Gayrettepe Mh. Vefabey Sk. No: 16 Inner Door No: 4, Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey | Designated under E.O. 13902 for operating in the aviation sector of the Iranian economy. Treasury says it provides ground handling services to sanctioned Iranian airlines. |
| Alisher Domullodzhanov | DesignationExecutive Order 13949 (conventional arms activities of Iran); SDN tag [IRAN-CON-ARMS-EO] | Date of birth: 29 Nov 1989Place of birth: Dushanbe, TajikistanNationality: Russia, TajikistanPassport: 769612269 (Russia)Address: Str. 5, Bld. 6, Khripan Village, Ramenskiy Rayon, Moscow Oblast 140163, Russia | Added to the SDN List on 4 November 2026 under the Iran conventional arms order (E.O. 13949), tag [IRAN-CON-ARMS-EO]. OFAC's notice gives no grounds and neither the Treasury press release nor the State Department statement of 4 November names him; the basis for the listing has not been published. |
| Mohammed Ali Tolibov | AmendmentExecutive Order 13382 (proliferators of weapons of mass destruction) and Executive Order 13949 (conventional arms activities of Iran); SDN tags [NPWMD] [IFSR] [IRAN-CON-ARMS-EO] | Date of birth: 17 Jan 1982Nationality: BelarusPassport: MR4193252 (Belarus)Address: Belarus | SDN entry amended on 4 November 2026: OFAC added the Iran conventional arms tag [IRAN-CON-ARMS-EO] (E.O. 13949) to his existing [NPWMD] [IFSR] listing. No other field changed. Designated on 8 May 2026 under E.O. 13382 and linked to Armory Alliance LLC; subject to secondary sanctions. |
| Vanguard Tactical Supply Limited | AmendmentExecutive Order 13382 (proliferators of weapons of mass destruction) and Executive Order 13949 (conventional arms activities of Iran); SDN tags [NPWMD] [IFSR] [IRAN-CON-ARMS-EO] | Registration number: 9562580 (Nigeria)Identifier: established 20 May 2026Address: Stallion Estate by Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, Nigeria | SDN entry amended on 4 November 2026: OFAC added the Iran conventional arms tag [IRAN-CON-ARMS-EO] (E.O. 13949) to the existing [NPWMD] [IFSR] listing. No other field changed. Designated on 15 July 2026 under E.O. 13382 as an Abuja-based intermediary linked to Behrouz Namazi; subject to secondary sanctions. |
| Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Al-Burhan | DesignationAutonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, regulation 6A(4) (thematic sanctions: serious violations or abuses of human rights), Sudan; Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons - Thematic Sanctions) Amendment (No. | Date of birth: 4 Jul 1960Nationality: SudanIdentifier: DFAT reference 9000Identifier: control date 4 Nov 2026 | Designated by Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs under regulation 6A(4) of the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, the Minister being satisfied that the party engaged in, was responsible for or was complicit in serious violations or abuses of the right to life, the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or the right not to be held in slavery or forced labour, in the Sudan conflict. The notice does not describe each party's conduct. |
| Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo Mousa | DesignationAutonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, regulation 6A(4) (thematic sanctions: serious violations or abuses of human rights), Sudan; Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons - Thematic Sanctions) Amendment (No. | Date of birth: 1974Nationality: SudanIdentifier: DFAT reference 9001Identifier: control date 4 Nov 2026 | Designated by Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs under regulation 6A(4) of the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, the Minister being satisfied that the party engaged in, was responsible for or was complicit in serious violations or abuses of the right to life, the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or the right not to be held in slavery or forced labour, in the Sudan conflict. The notice does not describe each party's conduct. |
| Al-Tijani Al-Tahir Karshoum | DesignationAutonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, regulation 6A(4) (thematic sanctions: serious violations or abuses of human rights), Sudan; Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons - Thematic Sanctions) Amendment (No. | Nationality: SudanIdentifier: DFAT reference 9002Identifier: control date 4 Nov 2026 | Designated by Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs under regulation 6A(4) of the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, the Minister being satisfied that the party engaged in, was responsible for or was complicit in serious violations or abuses of the right to life, the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or the right not to be held in slavery or forced labour, in the Sudan conflict. The notice does not describe each party's conduct. |
| Hussein Barsham | DesignationAutonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, regulation 6A(4) (thematic sanctions: serious violations or abuses of human rights), Sudan; Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons - Thematic Sanctions) Amendment (No. | Nationality: SudanIdentifier: DFAT reference 9003Identifier: control date 4 Nov 2026 | Designated by Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs under regulation 6A(4) of the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, the Minister being satisfied that the party engaged in, was responsible for or was complicit in serious violations or abuses of the right to life, the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or the right not to be held in slavery or forced labour, in the Sudan conflict. The notice does not describe each party's conduct. |
| Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade | DesignationAutonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, regulation 6A(4) (thematic sanctions: serious violations or abuses of human rights), Sudan; Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons - Thematic Sanctions) Amendment (No. | Identifier: DFAT reference 9004Identifier: control date 4 Nov 2026Address: Sudan | Designated by Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs under regulation 6A(4) of the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, the Minister being satisfied that the party engaged in, was responsible for or was complicit in serious violations or abuses of the right to life, the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or the right not to be held in slavery or forced labour, in the Sudan conflict. The notice does not describe each party's conduct. |
What this means for your organisation
- 01
Load the 20 designations today: Add the 15 OFAC parties with their passport, tax and registration numbers and the five Australian parties with their aliases in Latin and Arabic script, then run a retrospective screen across customers, counterparties and payments.
- 02
Check flag registries, not just ships: Test vessels and shipping counterparties against the Sharma network's websites and the registries it imitated (Aruba, Guyana, Mali, Mozambique, Malawi, Sint Maarten, Timor-Leste, Eswatini), and confirm any doubtful registration with the flag state itself.
- 03
Review Abuja and Istanbul exposure: Vanguard Tactical Supply Limited of Wuse 2, Abuja, now sits under two US programmes, and Fugo Aviation serves Iranian airlines; review trade, payments and aviation-services relationships that touch either.
- 04
Update Sudan screening for Australia: Australian-regulated firms must freeze and report any controlled assets of the five Sudan parties; firms elsewhere should record the new Australian listing on existing matches for Al-Burhan, Hemedti and the others.
- 05
Prepare for a large SDN file load: OFAC's administrative remark touches 1,078 existing entries; make sure the change-file review does not bury the 15 new names and two amendments among them.
Where this issue came from
The map plots the sources Youverify monitors. The pulsing markers are the three authorities cited in this issue: DFAT, US-OFAC and US State. Hover any marker to name the sources read there.
Method statement
Every OFAC entry is read word for word from the Recent Actions notice of 4 November 2026 and confirmed in the SDN data file of 5 November against the 4 November copy. Grounds come from the Treasury press release and State Department statement of the same day. The Australian entries are read from the DFAT consolidated list of 5 November against the 4 November copy, and the grounds from the ministerial notice. Every name was searched on the UK, EU, UN, Swiss and Canadian lists.
Corrections
No corrections issued for this issue. Corrections are published on the issue they affect, dated, with the original text retained.Cite this issue
Vyra from Youverify. "Washington Sanctions an Indian Network Selling Fake Flags to Iran's Shadow Fleet." Youverify Sanctions Monitor, issue 159, 5 November 2026. https://youverify.co/en/sanctions/2026-11-05. Accessed 5 November 2026.