U.S. seeks to seize Venezuelan oil and tanker linked to Iran, alleging sanctions evasion and terrorist funding.

In order to permanently seize the tanker Skipper and roughly 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil that were seized off the coast in December 2025, the U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit. The vessel is connected to illegal oil shipments from Venezuela and Iran, with profits allegedly funding Iran's Revolutionary Guard, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. The vessel is accused of evading sanctions through false flags and deceptive practices. Following President Nicolás Maduro's arrest, the Trump administration launched a larger campaign to sabotage Venezuela's oil trade. The sale of the assets may result from the government's request to take ownership being approved by a federal judge in Washington.