Federal authorities arrested an Iranian woman at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, suspecting her of facilitating the sale of Iranian-made drones, bombs, detonators, assault weapons, and millions of rounds of ammunition to Sudan, all in breach of U.S. sanctions law, according to a recently unsealed criminal complaint.
Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old resident of Woodland Hills, was taken into custody while allegedly preparing to board a flight to Turkey. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Esseri detailed the charges on social media, stating that Mafi is accused of violating 50 U.S.C. 1705 by mediating the sale of various weaponry produced in Iran.
If convicted, she could face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison. Originally an Iranian national, Mafi became a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. in 2016. She is set to make her initial court appearance in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, where it’s important to note she is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Prosecutors indicated that Mafi, who had secured residency during the Obama administration, was collaborating with others acting on behalf of Iran. She was apprehended just before her flight. The complaint claims that Mafi was part of a conspiracy to breach the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, allegedly brokering a deal exceeding $70.6 million for Iranian-made Mohajar-6 armed drones intended for Sudan’s Ministry of Defense.
Furthermore, investigators allege she was involved in arranging the transaction, which included sales of bomb fuses and extensive ammunition deals with the Sudanese military, including 10 million rounds of AK-47 ammo and a proposed contract for 240 million rounds.
According to the complaint, Mafi often traveled internationally, including to countries like Iran and Turkey, and was operating her alleged arms brokerage scheme from multiple locations, including California.
Mafi originally immigrated from Iran to Istanbul before settling in the U.S., though she is not a citizen. She reportedly has connections to Iranian governmental and intelligence entities.
Records indicate that she admitted to communicating with officials from the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security during interrogations by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the FBI. There have been about 62 recorded interactions with a specific officials’ phone number over a period of several months.
The evidence collected suggests that Mafi utilized a company based in Oman, Atlas International Business LLC, to facilitate the arms deals, routing funds through Turkey and the UAE to circumvent U.S. sanctions. Mafi is also accused of collaborating with Iranian government factions, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, reinforcing the severity of the allegations against her.
Authorities maintained that Mafi lacked the required U.S. license to engage in transactions involving Iranian defense goods. Critically, she was believed to be departing for Istanbul around the date of her arrest, and investigators anticipated finding corroborative evidence related to the plot at her residence.
