Dan Hoffman Discusses Tech CEO Alleged to Have Sent Secret Shipments to Iran

Former CIA director Dan Hoffman commented on the case of Jamshid Ghomi, a technology company CEO accused of running a ten-year scheme to illegally sell U.S. computer network components to Iran. Hoffman pointed out the FBI’s success in uncovering this counterintelligence operation and raised concerns over potential threats to U.S. national security, especially regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

In a recent announcement, federal prosecutors revealed that Ghomi, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, is facing charges for allegedly assisting Iran’s military and nuclear programs by smuggling sensitive U.S. technology. Prosecutors claim he misused millions of dollars from this illegal activity to fund the construction of a mansion in Newport Beach.

According to the charges, the 63-year-old Ghomi, who hails from Newport Coast, California, conspired to breach U.S. sanctions by supplying export-restricted security and encryption equipment to Iranian entities tied to military and nuclear activities.

“He profited from selling U.S. technology to the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency and other sanctioned groups integral to Iran’s nuclear agenda,” stated John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Affairs.

This case is part of a larger federal initiative targeting Iranian procurement efforts and espionage operations. Over recent years, multiple Iranian individuals and agents have been indicted for attempting to acquire U.S. technology for military use on behalf of the Iranian government.

Ghomi is the founder and CEO of Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh Co., Ltd. (FPR), a technology firm based in Tehran. Court records indicate the company has spent over ten years acquiring advanced U.S. equipment and distributing it to Iranian government agencies with the aid of intermediaries in the UAE.

Investigators assert the alleged scheme generated significant profits for Ghomi, who purportedly took measures to obscure the money’s origins before transferring it to the U.S. The complaint specifies that he laundered proceeds through various offshore entities and exchange offices across jurisdictions like the British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, Turkey, and the UAE.

Throughout a thirteen-year span, more than $15 million from Ghomi’s Iranian enterprises is said to have found its way into U.S. financial systems, including funds that financed his opulent Newport Coast home.

Many of the transactions purportedly featured misleading descriptions such as “for the purchase of goods” or “for consulting fees.” Prosecutors also allege Ghomi inaccurately reported incoming funds as foreign inheritances to the IRS, even though he claimed minimal income on his federal tax filings.

Ghomi’s highest documented annual salary was roughly $20,684. Notably, he claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is designed for low- to moderate-income workers, over several tax years.

Meanwhile, investigators report that Ghomi constructed a luxurious 14,000-square-foot mansion in Newport Coast, valued at about $35 million. He purchased the land for around $4.5 million in 2010 and invested over $10 million into building the property. Authorities assert that more than $7 million associated with the sanctions evasion flowed into an escrow account used for the mansion’s construction.

“Mr. Ghomi is accused of facilitating an enemy of our nation by supplying American-made components to Iran and reaping millions in violation of our sanctions,” commented Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Esseri. “Our prohibition against commercial dealings with significant state sponsors of terrorism must be upheld.”

Investigators claim that FPR provided U.S.-made networking and encryption products to Iran’s critical organizations, including the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), which manages the nation’s nuclear program, and was sanctioned by the U.S. State Department in 2020.

According to prosecutors, Ghomi supplied more than 250 tons of networking and computer equipment to Iran between 2014 and 2018. They allege he willfully violated U.S. sanctions by making numerous purchases of restricted technology and carefully concealing his operations.

Ghomi allegedly attempted to disguise the ultimate destination of the shipments by using a UAE-based facade company and instructed his staff to avoid including his name on invoices or shipping paperwork.

If found guilty, he faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.