It's a short diary, spurred by a breaking news email from CNN.

New York (CNN) -- The federal government is seeking forfeiture of properties belonging to the Alavi Foundation and Assa Corp. -- accused of transferring money to a bank owned by the Iranian government -- including a Manhattan skyscraper and at least three mosques.

CNN story

See? Thats us, getting shit done without torturing anyone, since 2009.

Update: MSNBC has it up now to, reports are this is the largest couter-terrorism asset seizure in history. Half a billion dollars worth of assets are involved in the claim. More as it comes.

Update x2: Reuters provides some context as to the ultimate result of the money sent to the Iranian bank:

The U.S. Treasury has designated the bank as a weapons proliferator and banned U.S. citizens from dealing with it.

Update x3: The WSJ adds a note about legal action previously with the foundation:

Last December, Farshi Jahedi, Alavi's president, was charged criminally with obstruction of justice for allegedly trying to destroy documents after being served with a grand-jury subpoena. He has denied wrongdoing.

Update x4: Holy crap, the rec list? I'm pushing hard to update as news outlets push stories out, if anyone catches something, drop it in the comments and I'll migrate it up here.

Update x5: From the comments:

From the AP (1+ / 0-)

The assets include bank accounts; Islamic centers consisting of schools and mosques in New York City, Maryland, California and Houston; more than 100 acres in Virginia; and a 36-story glass office tower in New York. by temptxan on Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 04:20:19 PM PST

and

The Wall Street Journal (0+ / 0-)

Federal prosecutors filed an amended complaint Thursday seeking the Alavi Foundation's majority stake in New York's Piaget building, alleging the foundation has been providing services to Iran's government. In their civil action, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan are now seeking Alavi's 60% stake of 650 Fifth Ave. - known as the Piaget building - and its other assets in the U.S., including properties in New York, California, Texas, Virginia and Maryland. link here As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. - John F. Kennedy by JaxDem on Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 04:25:37 PM PST

Update x6: This organizations apparently been festering for a while, with no major action till now. Politico's got it that:

A 1995 article by Iran researcher Ken Timmerman cited an FBI report from a year earlier which concluded that the foundation was "entirely controlled by the government of Iran."

And ABC has this as a major source of money for Iran:

The civil complaint details the alleged internal machinations of the Iranian government's ambassadors and other officials over control of the property and its cash flow – Iran's primary economic engine in the United States.

Update x7: (these updates are getting cumbersome) From the comments again:

Here's what I found (1+ / 0-) As today's complaint alleges in great detail, the Alavi Foundation has effectively been a front for the government of Iran," says U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. "For two decades, the Alavi Foundation's affairs have been directed by various Iranian officials, including Iranian ambassadors to the United Nations, in violation of a series of American laws. from ABA Journal Law News Now

by gchaucer2 on Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 04:54:47 PM PST

Update x8: Al Jazeera with more on Bank Melli: