An Iranian-origin woman has been detained in the United States over allegations that she acted as an intermediary in illicit arms deals, facilitating the transfer of drones, explosives and other munitions between Tehran and Sudan.
44-year-old Shamim Mafi, who became a permanent resident of the United States in 2016, was nabbed at the Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night.
The development has been confirmed by Bill Essayli, First Assistant US Attorney, on X.
โIf convicted, she faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.Mafi is an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016.She is expected to make her initial appearance on Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown L.A. She is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court,โ Essayli posted.ย
According to the complaint, Mafi is alleged to have helped organise a contract worth more than $70.6 million. The deal reportedly involved the sale of Mohajer-6 armed drones, which are manufactured in Iran, to Sudanโs Ministry of Defence, as per the Fox News.
Investigators further claim she played a role in securing additional military supplies for Sudan. These included the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses, along with ammunition agreements said to involve 10 million rounds for AK-47 rifles. There was also a separate proposal for a much larger shipment of 240 million rounds, officials say.
Use of international channels to evade US sanctions
An affidavit from the FBI, cited by the Fox News, states that Mafi and her alleged associates used a company based in Oman, Atlas International Business LLC, to manage the transactions. Authorities believe payments were routed through Turkey and the United Arab Emirates in an effort to avoid detection and get around US sanctions.
The case remains under investigation, with officials continuing to examine the extent of the alleged network and its activities.