{
  "id": 9776173,
  "title": "Mystery $1.3bn UK firm and the empire sanctioned for 'Tehran tollbooth' fees",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/mystery-1-3bn-uk-firm-and-the-empire-sanctioned-for-tehran-tollbooth",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-25T14:26:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2026/09/25/mystery-13bn-uk-firm-and-the-empire-sanctioned-for-tehran-tollbooth-fees/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Two UK companies, Bitbankers Investment Ltd and Dot One Group Ltd, have been shut down by regulators after being linked to an Iranian cryptocurrency exchange empire sanctioned by the US for processing toll fees at the Tehran tollbooth. The two firms, controlled by Iranian billionaire Babak Zanjani, were accused of routing hundreds of millions of dollars through cryptocurrency wallets linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The companies were founded in May 2024 and April 2025, respectively, and had capital of £1 billion and £1 million, respectively. Their filings show they were active until late 2025, when they were both struck off the Companies House register. Both companies had addresses moved to Companies House's default address, indicating a lack of a proper registered office. The US has imposed sanctions on Zanjani and his companies for allegedly processing funds for IRGC-linked cryptocurrency wallets.",
  "summary": "A UK company based at the same location as an Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges empire sanctioned by the US for allegedly processing Strait of Hormuz tolls has been shut down by regulators. Suffering the same fate is a second firm on Britain's companies register that bears a similar name to an Iranian conglomerate also sanctioned by the US as part of its economic warfare campaign against Tehran.…",
  "key_points": [
    "UK regulators shut down Bitbankers Investment Ltd and Dot One Group Ltd",
    "Linked to Iranian cryptocurrency exchange empire sanctioned by US",
    "Allegedly processed toll fees at Tehran tollbooth for IRGC"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Mystery $1.3bn UK firm and the empire sanctioned for 'Tehran tollbooth' fees",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/mystery-1-3bn-uk-firm-and-the-empire-sanctioned-for-tehran-tollbooth-9776704",
        "published": "2026-09-25T14:26:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}