US Charges Dual US, Iranian Citizen With Violating Iran Sanctions
A dual U.S. and Iranian citizen on Oct. 7 was arrested for allegedly violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by sending digital and physical gift cards loaded with U.S. dollars to Iran, DOJ announced. Kambiz Eghbali, a Los Angeles resident, was charged alongside Iranian nationals Hamid Hajipour and Babak Bahizad for the scheme, which also included charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and commit money laundering.
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From March 2014 to September 2019, Eghbali listed his company -- a "U.S.-based purported videogame wholesaler and distributor" -- as the seller of the gift cards. Eghbali gave cards to Bahizad for his Iran-based gaming company and to Hajipour for his mobile software application service company, DOJ said. The two co-conspirators then paid Eghbali for the cards by sending money to Eghbali's U.S. bank accounts via third parties to hide the origin of the transactions, DOJ said.
The U.S. said the money transfers between the parties violated U.S. sanctions on Iran. Eghbali, Hajipour and Bahizad face a maximum of 20 years in prison for violating IEEPA.