 In June 2010, in the case "United States v. Banki", the use of the hawala method of currency transfer led to a criminal conviction against a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin.Banki was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison; however, on the sentencing guidelines, this type of offense could result in imprisonment of up to 20 years.The United States imposed additional financial sanctions against Iran, effective 1 July 2013.