A 44-year-old Iranian American woman has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of trafficking weapons on behalf of the Iranian government to contacts in Africa, including Sudan.
Shamim Mafi, a lawful permanent resident of the US since 2016, was detained on Saturday night by federal agents, according to Bill Essayli, first assistant US attorney for the central district of California. She faces charges of brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition.
Court documents allege that Mafi and an unnamed co-conspirator used their company, Atlas International, to facilitate weapons deals. In one instance, Mafi is accused of arranging the sale of Iranian-manufactured drones to Sudan's ministry of defence, a contract valued at over €60 million. She reportedly earned $6 million for coordinating the Sudanese delegation's travel to Iran.
Mafi, who maintains a US residence but frequently travels to Iran, Turkey and Oman, told federal officials that her first husband was an officer in Iran's ministry of intelligence and security. The alleged dealings took place in multiple locations, including California.
If convicted, Mafi faces up to 20 years in federal prison. She is expected to appear in court on Monday at the US district court in Los Angeles.
