Feds arrest Iranian woman at LAX for allegedly brokering weapons sales for Islamic regime

Federal authorities arrested an Iranian pistillate astatine Los Angeles International Airport connected Friday, alleging she brokered deals to merchantability Iranian-made drones, bombs, weaponry fuses, battle weapons and millions of rounds of ammunition to Sudan successful usurpation of U.S. sanctions laws, according to a recently unsealed transgression complaint.

"Last night, Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was arrested astatine Los Angeles International Airport for trafficking arms connected behalf of the authorities of Iran," First Assisant United States Attorney Bill Essayli wrote Sunday connected X.

"She is charged with a usurpation of 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for brokering the merchantability of drones, bombs, weaponry fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan.

"If convicted, she faces a statutory maximum condemnation of 20 years successful national prison. Mafi is an Iranian nationalist who became a lawful imperishable nonmigratory of the United States successful 2016. She is expected to marque her archetypal quality connected Monday day successful U.S. District Court successful downtown L.A. She is presumed guiltless until proven blameworthy successful court."

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A California pistillate was arrested astatine LAX connected charges of trafficking Iranian-made weapons to Sudan, national authorities said. (@USAttyEssayli via X)

Prosecutors accidental Mafi, granted imperishable U.S. residency successful California nether erstwhile President Barack Obama, worked with others connected behalf of Iran and was preparing to committee an LAX formation to Turkey erstwhile she was taken into custody, according to a redacted subordinate of the Iran Counterintelligence Squad of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.

The ailment accuses Mafi of conspiracy to interruption the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and says she allegedly brokered a declaration worthy much than $70.6 cardinal for the merchantability of Iranian-made Mohajer-6 equipped drones to Sudan’s Ministry of Defense.

Investigators allege she besides helped put the merchantability of 55,000 weaponry fuses to the Sudanese subject and aggregate ammunition deals, including 10 cardinal rounds of AK-47 ammunition and a abstracted projected declaration for 240 cardinal rounds.

"MAFI is simply a lawful permanent resident successful the United States who maintains a residence in Woodland Hills, California, and travels often to Iran, Turkey, Oman, and different countries," the 68-page ailment read. "As acceptable distant below, MAFI executed her amerciable weapons brokering strategy from aggregate locations, including wrong the Central District of California.

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Authorities arrested the 44-year-old astatine Los Angeles International Airport successful an alleged planetary arms scheme. (@USAttyEssayli via X)

Mafi, calved successful Iran, relocated to Istanbul and yet ended up successful the US wherever she is not a citizen. She has a sordid past and transportation to Iranian authorities and intelligence.

"During interviews with U.S. Customs and Border Control ('CBP') officers and the FBI, MAFI acknowledged communicating with an serviceman of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security ('MOIS Officer-1')," the ailment alleged.

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"Mafi stated that she is 'more utile to them [i.e., MOIS] successful Iran than successful the United States,' and records obtained pursuant to a hunt warrant amusement astir 62 bidirectional contacts betwixt Mafi and MOIS Officer-1’s telephone numbers betwixt December 2022 and June 2025."

Shamim Mafi, a lawful U.S. resident, is accused of brokering income of drones, bombs and ammunition for Iran. (@USAttyEssayli via X)

According to the FBI affidavit, Mafi and her alleged co-conspirators utilized an Oman-based company, Atlas International Business LLC, to facilitate the deals and routed payments done Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, which investigators accidental was intended to evade U.S. sanctions.

The filing besides alleges Mafi coordinated with figures tied to Iran’s government, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and maintained interaction with an serviceman from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

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Federal agents said Mafi ne'er obtained the required U.S. licenses to broker specified transactions involving Iranian goods oregon defence articles. The ailment says she was scheduled to depart LAX for Istanbul connected April 18 and that investigators believed grounds of the alleged strategy would beryllium recovered connected her idiosyncratic and astatine her residence.