Case 1:20-cv-02316 Document 1 Filed 08/21/20 Page 1 of 467 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JAMES SWINNEY, VICTOR MONTIEL, § TEDDY JOHNSON, BRETT SWAIN, § SEAN DOUGLASS, JOSE ESPADA, § JOHN MAZZUCHELLI, KWAN JOHNSON, § TYLER COFFIE, MICHAEL DESALVO, § Case No.: ___________________ NOAH BURTON, JOSE GARCIA, § DONALD REESE, THOMAS LOVE, § ADAM BAGBY, VLADIMIR QUERALES, § LEONARD JOHNSON, BRUCE MILLSAP, § MATTHEW MALOY, DAVID BARCUS, § LANCE GIESELMANN, ROBERT LAWSON, § DAVID MORROW, CHARLES JACKSON, § MELVIN DAVIS, JUSTIN NORTH, § LEROY FARMER, ROBERT JEPSEN, § KEVIN SMITH, EUGENE SIMIONESCU, § ROBERT LORIA, GABOR FALVY, § KEVIN PURIFOY, ERNEST GRANT, § ROBERT CHELONE, CLIFTON COFFEY, § NIXON PIERRE, KEVIN RUMLEY, § JOSEPH BOWSER, DAVID WRIGHT, § WILLIAM COLLINS, MATTHEW STROUP, § LORIN SMITH, WESAM MAHMOUD, § ROBERT CLARK, JEREMY BINDER, § JAMES NAPPIER, CHRISTOPHER RITCHIE, § MARVIN CRAIG, JESUS CARDENAS, § JAMES BURNS, MATTHEW CLARK, § TODD CLITES, JOSEPH NYZIO, § BRIAN SCHULTZ, ELLIS BROUGHTON, § HUGO GONZALEZ, ULYSSES WILLIS, § MARK JORDAN, MICHAEL PAINE, § EUGENIO ESPARZA, JOSHUA PETITT, § HECTOR ESPARZA, JOSHUA SESTERS, § ELI RICH, GEOFFREY SPEYRER, § MICHAEL MCBROOM, WILLIAM GRIMES, § KEYONTA OATES, SCOTT GARRETT, § CHRISTOPHER BRUCE, JASON HALL, § RICHARD MONTANO, MILTON BLISS, § JESSE JACKSON III, § MICHAEL MARINKOVICH, DAVID COONEY, § RONALD BROCHEY, DOUGLAS BETZ, § JR., PURI DELISIO, NORMAN VALDEZ, § ERIK JOHNSON, DWAYNE PETERSEN, § MARK HOLLIFIELD, DAVID NIERADKA, § Case 1:20-cv-02316 Document 1 Filed 08/21/20 Page 2 of 467 ELI MASTERSON, HEATH ARNOLD, § SCOTT MURPHY, JOSHUA HELGUERO, § NATHAN JOHNSON, CASEY WALL, § JEREMY BURNSIDE, DENNIS BOWERS, § DANIEL TITUS, JOSIAH JURICH, JOSEPH ROE, § RICHARD FORD, JOHN FONTENOY, § CAMERON GAINES, TIMOTHY POPE, § RODRIGO MAGALHAES, RANDAL COPELAND, § RICHARD SAYLOR, RICKEY HALL, § DAVID GAY, MICHAEL O’REAR, § BRIAN MCCAULEY, RANDALL WATKINS, § RICHARD CRANE, BRADLEY GARFIELD, § WILLIAM WILLIS, HENRY JAMES, § SHARON MICHELLE SHAVERS-VARNADO, § INDIVIDUALLY, AND FOR THE ANTICIPATED § ESTATE OF DANIEL R. VARNADO, K.J.V., a § minor, ANGELO BENCIVENGA, ZACHARIA § STEED, ROY HEFFNER, JEREMY WALLACE, § ADAM HAILEY, ROBERT DAVIS, § BRYAN WALKER, LUIS ZABALA, § DANIEL HALL, PAUL JENSEN, ROBERT CASH, § ROBERT OGURA, WILLIAM LOWERY, § FREEMAN WELCH, BRANDON LLOYD, § ANGELA HAWN, INDIVIDUALLY, AND FOR § THE ANTICIPATED ESTATE OF ASBURY § HAWN, JOSEPH SPENCER HAWN, JOHNATHAN § TYLER SPENCER, ANTOINE MCNAULTY, § JAREMY AUSTIN, WILLIAM LOARING-CLARK, § JAMES KEITH, MADDISON H. CAMPBELL, § INDIVIDUALLY, AND FOR THE ANTICIPATED § ESTATE OF JEREMY M. CAMPBELL, § FRANCISCO VILLEGAS, TODD SANCHEZ, § RYAN BOWEN, MATTHEW SHAW, § MATTHEW GUFFEY, JOSEPH BELLO, § DOUGLAS MIGNOT, TIMOTHY SPEARS, § INDIVIDUALLY, AND FOR THE ANTICIPATED § ESTATE OF JONATHAN R. SPEARS, JESSICA § MARIE SPEARS, JENNIFER NICHOLE SPEARS, § BRADLEE GIETZEL, JOHN DOROBIALA, § CHAD RICKARD, THOMAS KOEHLER, § DOYLE RUNNELS, LOUIS SULSONA, § JOHN MCGUIRE, MARSHALL DIAL, § MATTHEW HURSEY, THOMAS MCNABB, § JEFFREY MURDORF, ARTHUR GARCIA, § DWANYE WHITAKER, ELMER DINGLASAN, § MARK HANSEN, JOHN SMITH, § Case 1:20-cv-02316 Document 1 Filed 08/21/20 Page 3 of 467 PAUL MCQUIGG, RONALD WILCKENS, § CHARLES PARKER, JIMMIE SPARKS, § RAMIRO CESPEDES, STEVEN MINER, § JONATHAN MILLER, TRAVIS BROWN, § HENRY GONZALES, JOHNNY PHILLIPS, § MITCHELL BROWN, DOUGLAS § BAGDASARIAN, WILLIAM COURTER, § KENNETH HENDERICKSON, § BRANDON LLOYD, ROBERT GRAY, § JUAN CASTRO, PREVO RODGERS, JR., § TANNER RANEY, ROBERT ROBINSON, § JOHN MOORE, PHILLIP BLACKMON, § LORENZO HALL, ADAM GUERNSEY, § JOSHUA RANSONET, ARSENEAL GINES, § DAVID BUELL, THOMAS WISE, ERIC SPARKS, § DERRICK SHARPE, GARRETT SHANNON, § CHRISTOPHER BENCH, ANDREW ROBERSON, § FREDDIE MARSHALL, LEONEL ARAUJO, § RICARDO ORTEGA III, MAXWELL LEVERICH, § JAN SILBERT, EDDIE HALL, MICHAEL TABOR, § LUIS RIOSBAEZ, NOLAN STANLEY, § BRUCE DUNLAP, STEVE KIRBY, § KEITH WILLIAMS, JEFFERY MOLESKI, § DAVID SHEPHERD, DONALD BELZER, § NILES LAVEY, SEAN BENNETT, § GREGORY HERRERA, ANTHONY QUINN, § CHARLES COLLMAN, NATHAN REED, § WYATT CLEARY, DUSTIN SMECK, § LARRY SWEENEY, KEVIN TROEMEL, § DARRELL WHITED, MANUEL ROMAN, § CHRISTOPHER DUNN, SCOTT FORRESTER, § BRIAN MATTINGLY, BRANDON SARTAIN, § BRIAN SAWLSVILLE, LUIS DAVILA- § QUINONES, SCOTT DALE, JESSE THOMAS, § MICHAEL KARATSANOS, JOHN MCCRORY, § JOSHUA JAMES, JESSE LEONARD, § BOBBY CHANDLER, TIMOTHY CHANDLER, § JOSE RIVERA, MATTHEW GOODWIN, § SHAWN LIETAR, MARIO RAUCH, § JARED JACKSON, CODY HACKNEY, § KEVIN CRITZON, JOSEPH KRUMMERT, § SCOT PFEIFER, MATTHEW PACHECO, § KRISTOPHER HERRIN, KEVIN MCMAINS, § DIEGO CABEZAS, RUSSELL POPE, § KRISTOPHER MITCHELL, DOUGLAS ROYE, § § Case 1:20-cv-02316 Document 1 Filed 08/21/20 Page 4 of 467 MICHAEL ANDERSON, CHRISTOPHER § BURRELL, THOMAS LEDFORD, § ISREAL MADUENO, FRANCISCO VILLARREAL, § RONALD RUSSELL, CHRIS D’ANGELO, § DANIEL WATSON, RONNIE CHAVIS, § DANIEL STERWERF, HERBERT WATSON, § GUY LITZLER, DUSTIN CONNOR, § BRENT CROUCH, JR., ADAM TAYLOR, § DOUGLAS CAMPBELL, DWIGHT SAVADYGA, § DEDRICK RICHARDSON, § CZACHARIAH HANGARTNER, § LEONARD HONGO, MATTHEW PENN, § JOSEPH MERSHON, JEREMY BAKER, § IAN POWELL, EDGAR RUIZ, § RICHARD IRIZARRY, JAMES DAVIS, § BRIAN SLATES, JAMIE PORTILLO, § BUFORD HANNA, JAMES LITTLES, § JAMES CHANEY, LESLEY POWERS, JR., § AMANDA WALL, RHEN MITCHELL, § KENNETH PHARISS, and § NICHOLAS HARRELSON, § § Plaintiffs, § v. § § THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN § The Ministry of Foreign Affairs § Imam Khomeini Street § Imam Khomeini Square § Tehran, Iran § 1136914811 § § THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD § CORPS (“IRGC”) § Armed Forces Headquarters Iran § Tehran – Zone 7 – Shariati § Ghoddoosi Square (Ghaar) § Tehran, Iran § § IRANIAN MINISTRY OF INTELLIGENCE & § SECURITY § (a/k/a Vezarat-e Ettela’at Va Amniat-e Keshvar a/k/a § VEVAK a/k/a VAJA) § Second Negarestan Street § Pasdaran Avenue § Tehran, Iran § Case 1:20-cv-02316 Document 1 Filed 08/21/20 Page 5 of 467 § BANK MARKAZI JOMHOURI ISLAMI IRAN § (a/k/a The Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of § Iran) § Mirdamad Boulevard § No. 198 § Tehran, Iran § P.O. Box: 15875/7177 § § BANK MELLI IRAN § Ferdowsi Avenue § 10 Building § Tehran, Iran § 1135931596 § Mail Box 11365.144 § § NATIONAL IRANIAN OIL COMPANY § Roodsar Street No. 18 § District 6 § Tehran, Iran § § Defendants. § PLAINTIFFS’ COMPLAINT Case 1:20-cv-02316 Document 1 Filed 08/21/20 Page 6 of 467 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. NATURE OF THE CASE .................................................................................................... 1 II. JURISDICTION AND VENUE ........................................................................................... 5 1. THIS COURT HAS JURISDICTION OVER ALL CLAIMS AND ALL PARTIES. ............................................................................................................. 5 A. This Court May Exercise Jurisdiction over the Subject Matter of All Claims Asserted Herein. ............................................................................................... 5 i. Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act ............................................................... 5 B. This Court May Exercise Personal Jurisdiction over All Parties ..................... 6 2. VENUE IS PROPER IN THIS COURT. ................................................................. 7 III. LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND........................................................................................ 7 IV. THE DEFENDANTS............................................................................................................ 9 1. THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN ................................................................... 9 2. ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS ............................................... 13 3. THE IRANIAN MINISTRY OF INTELLIGENCE & SECURITY (MOIS) .... 15 4. BANK MARKAZI JOMHOURI ISLAMI IRAN ................................................. 19 5. BANK MELLI IRAN .............................................................................................. 20 6. NATIONAL IRANIAN OIL COMPANY ............................................................. 25 V. FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS ............................................................................................. 27 1. IRAN’S LONG HISTORY OF MATERIALLY SUPPORTING AND ENCOURAGING ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM................ 28 2. IRAN’S SPONSORSHIP AND MATERIAL SUPPORT OF TERRORISM IN IRAQ ................................................................................................................... 32 3. ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS—QODS FORCE (IRGC-QF) .............................................................................................................................. 36 4. HEZBOLLAH .......................................................................................................... 39 5. IRAN’S MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND ARMED FORCES LOGISTICS (MODAFL) ......................................................................................................... 45 i Case 1:20-cv-02316 Document 1 Filed 08/21/20 Page 7 of 467 6. ANSAR AL ISLAM ................................................................................................. 47 7. AL QAIDA NETWORK ......................................................................................... 53 A. Abu Musab Zarqawi and the Rise of Al Qa’ida in Iraq (“AQI”) ................... 61 8. THE SPECIAL GROUPS ....................................................................................... 65 A.