WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Justice Department said that Bahram Mechanic and Tooraj Faridi, both of Houston, Texas, and Khosrow Afghahi of Los Angeles, California, were members of an Iranian procurement network operating in the United States. The authorities arrested the three suspects.
Arthur Shyu and Matin Sadeghi have also been charged as being part of the scheme, but are believed to be out of the United States.
“The nine defendants charged in the indictment allegedly circumvented US sanctions and illegally exported controlled microelectronics to Iran,” Assistant Attorney General Carlin was quoted as saying in the release. “Violations of the IEEPA not only can undercut the impact of US sanctions, but can also serve to undermine US foreign policy and adversely affect national security.”
The Justice Department has asked anyone with information about Shyu and Sadeghi to contact the nearest US Embassy or local FBI office.
“The [24-count] indictment alleges that between approximately July 2010 and the present, Mechanic and the others engaged in a conspiracy to obtain various commodities, including controlled United States-origin microelectronics,” the statement said.
The Justice Department alleged that the conspirators illegally exported the commodities to Iran. According to the indictment, these commodities are frequently used in a wide range of military systems, including surface-air and cruise missiles.
“Between July 2010 and the present, Mechanic’s network allegedly sent at least $24 million worth of commodities to Iran,” the statement said.
If convicted, the individuals each face up to 20 years in federal prison, while the companies face fines of up to $1 million for each of the IEEPA counts.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act, enacted in 1977, authorizes US Presidents to regulate commerce in response to any foreign threat to the United States. At present, more than a dozen countries, including Iran and Sudan, are subject to sanctions under the Act.
