A Newport Coast man running a business out of Iran was arrested and charged with violating federal law Wednesday after prosecutors say he spent years illegally importing American technology into the country, including to Iran’s nuclear establishment, without notifying the U.S. government.
Jamshid Ghomi, 63, of Newport Coast is accused of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act for allegedly supplying Iranian customers — including the Iranian regime’s military and the Iranian government agency responsible for the production of atomic weaponry — with “sophisticated” U.S.-origin networking, security and encryption equipment for more than a decade, according to a federal criminal complaint.
The complaint identifies the company as Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh Co. Ltd., a Tehran-based computer networking company. It boasts over $10 million in sales annually, with the clientele including hundreds of Iranian companies and government entities, the filing said.
“Ghomi is accused of aiding our declared enemies by selling U.S.-origin computer networking parts to Iran and earning millions of dollars in violation of U.S. sanction laws,” said First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli in a media statement.
For years, authorities say, Ghomi used an intermediary in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to smuggle U.S. tech into his home country of Iran, where he is a dual-citizen.
Prosecutors accuse Khomi of knowing his business transactions and conduct were illegal and took actions to conceal his involvement, including by keeping his name off shipping paperwork, omitting invoices for Iran-bound shipments and hiding U.S.-origin computer equipment inside other, larger shipments into the country.
The IEEPA and the Iran Transactions and Sanctions Regulations imposes restrictions on, among other things, transactions involving Iranian business originating or involving anyone from the U.S. without prior authorization from the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Over the period of time that Ghomi and FPR were conducting business and exporting networking equipment out of the U.S., there was no attempt to obtain the required licenses, the U.S. government said.
“Today’s arrest reflects our commitment to disrupt the illegal flow of American technology to foreign nations, especially our adversaries. As alleged, Mr. Ghomi spent years exploiting United States financial systems and procurement channels to move controlled equipment to Iran while hiding his activities behind front companies and falsified documentation,” said Darren Lian, the acting special agent in charge of the IRS’ Los Angeles field office.
Ghomi could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
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