California Man Arrested for Supplying Equipment to Iran’s Nuclear Program
A dual U.S.-Iranian citizen named Jamshid Ghomi has been arrested in California. He faces charges for allegedly providing encryption equipment to Iran’s nuclear program.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the 63-year-old Ghomi is the CEO of Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh, a computer networking company based in Tehran. His actions are said to violate U.S. sanctions that aim to weaken Iran’s regime.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated, “Ghomi is accused of helping our declared enemies by selling U.S. computer networking parts to Iran, making millions in the process.” He emphasized that Ghomi will be held accountable, potentially facing a significant prison sentence and the seizure of his assets, including a mansion worth $35 million in Newport Beach.
The U.S. Attorney’s office for Central California reported that Ghomi is due in court on Wednesday. He is accused of breaching U.S. sanctions by supplying computer networking and security equipment to various clients in Iran.
From 2014 to 2018, Ghomi allegedly covertly shipped approximately 250 tons of networking equipment to Iran through freight forwarders and intermediaries, going to great lengths to hide the equipment’s actual destination.
Federal investigators claim that his company generated annual sales exceeding $10 million. Ghomi reportedly referred to Iran as the “Motherland” when communicating with co-conspirators involved in transporting the equipment into the country. Authorities noted that he funded the construction of his Orange County mansion through the profits from his sanctions-evasion activities.
If convicted, Ghomi could face up to 20 years in prison. A heavy police presence was seen at his home during the arrest, as reported by Fox 11 in Los Angeles.
Due to longstanding U.S. sanctions against Iran, the country has attempted to enhance its computer infrastructure through alternative means, and cryptocurrencies have increasingly been used to facilitate funding and transactions.
