US Resident, Iranian National Charged With Violating Export Controls on Iran
The U.S. this week arrested a dual U.S.-Iranian national living in Massachusetts and an Iranian national, charging both with conspiring to ship "sophisticated electronic components" from the U.S. to Iran in violation of U.S. export controls and sanctions.
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DOJ said Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, the dual U.S.-Iranian national, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi worked together to illegally ship goods from an unnamed Massachusetts-based microelectronics firm where Sadeghi worked. They planned to send the goods to San'at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co. (SDRA), an Iran-based company founded by Abedininajafabadi that DOJ said sells navigation systems to the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps for use in drones and ballistic missiles.
DOJ said the scheme began when Sadeghi allegedly traveled to Iran in 2016 to seek funding for a separate company, a U.S.-based technology company that he owned. In exchange for funding from the Iranian government, DOJ alleges, Sadeghi and others created an unnamed company in Iran, which entered into a contract with SDRA, Abedininajafabadi's company, to buy SDRA's technology. Sadeghi also helped Abedininajafabadi buy U.S. export-controlled electronic parts for use in Iran, DOJ said.
But because U.S. export controls and sanctions prevent certain U.S. exports to Iran, DOJ said Abedininajafabadi created the Switzerland-based front company llumove, which entered into a contract with the Massachusetts-based microelectronics firm on behalf of SDRA. "Sadeghi and Abedini subsequently caused U.S.-origin goods, services, and technology to be transferred to Iran, through Illumove, for the benefit of SDRA," DOJ said.
Sadeghi and Abedininajafabadi each were charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and Abedini was charged with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and one count of provision and attempted provision of material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Sadeghi was arrested and made his initial appearance in Massachusetts federal court Dec. 16; Abedininajafabadi was arrested in Italy the same day at the request of the U.S.