Tech CEO Arrested for Illicit Export of Sensitive US Tech to Iran
Jamshid Ghomi, a tech CEO from Tehran, has been arrested in the United States for illegally exporting American-origin hardware to Iranian state agencies. His actions threaten U.S. sanctions and national security by enabling Iran's military and nuclear sectors access to restricted technology.
Highlights
- •Illegal export of US-origin equipment
- •Tehran-based tech firm owner
- •Evading sanctions through deceitful practices
- •Falsified shipping records and hidden end-user identities
Washington – A key figure in a Tehran-based technology firm, Jamshid Ghomi, 63, has been detained by U.S. authorities for his alleged involvement in an extensive decade-long operation aimed at illegally exporting sensitive American-origin hardware to Iran's nuclear and military agencies.
Illicit Export Operations
Ghomi, the founder and CEO of Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh Co. Ltd. (FPR), reportedly procured and exported banned American technology through a network of third-party intermediaries based in the United Arab Emirates to various Iranian state actors between 2011 and 2018. The equipment included networking and encryption hardware, which were sent directly from U.S.-based suppliers located in Minnesota and Nebraska.
Known for its intricate operations, FPR managed to evade sanctions by hiding the identities of end-user entities and falsifying shipping records. From December 2014 to July 2018, Ghomi directed the transfer of more than 250 metric tonnes of hardware into Iran.
Ghomi allegedly used eBay and PayPal accounts to facilitate over 400 acquisitions of controlled technology during 2011-2015. He later transitioned to coordinating direct purchases from U.S. commercial suppliers via shell companies, all while maintaining a complex web of financial transactions to conceal the illicit activities.
According to prosecutors, between 2011 and 2024, Ghomi is alleged to have moved over USD 15 million into his personal accounts in the U.S. through convoluted monetary channels.
Leveraging Iran's Nuclear Sector
The technology was delivered to major Iranian governmental bodies like the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran and the Ministry of Defence, which manage defense-related operations. Additionally, sensitive networking equipment was sent to military-affiliated entities in violation of explicit sanctions.
Law enforcement detailed several significant points: Ghomi manipulated financial records, misreported income to tax authorities, and purchased a luxury estate using illicit funds. His actions were aimed at circumventing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by illegally bypassing U.S. export controls designed to prevent such transfers.
The prosecution alleges that Ghomi's actions have put significant pressure on U.S. efforts to maintain export control policies, thereby jeopardizing national security and potentially aiding Iran's nuclear ambitions.
