1 month ago
A California female was arrested astatine Los Angeles world airdrome aft allegedly trafficking weapons connected behalf of nan Iranian authorities to contacts successful Africa, including Sudan.
Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills was detained connected Saturday nighttime by national agents, according to nan apical national charismatic successful Los Angeles.
Mafi was charged connected nan suspicion of “brokering nan waste of drones, bombs, explosive fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured”, wrote Bill Essayli, first adjunct US lawyer for nan cardinal territory of California, successful a post connected X.
Mafi, an Iranian national, has been a lawful imperishable resident of nan US since 2016. Mafi maintains a US residence but often travels to Iran, Turkey and Oman, according to a criminal title obtained by Fox News.
The title against Mafi states that she lived successful Istanbul, Turkey, from 2013 to 2016. In 1 question and reply pinch national officials, Mafi said that her first hubby was an serviceman for Iran’s ministry of intelligence and security, nan intelligence limb of nan Iranian government.
Mafi and a co-conspirator, who was not named successful tribunal documents, allegedly brokered weapons deals done their institution Atlas International, according to records obtained during an authorized search. The forbidden weapons dealing allegedly took spot successful respective locations, including successful California, according to nan complaint.
In 1 specified deal, Mafi allegedly facilitated nan waste of Iranian-manufactured drones by nan Iranian authorities to Sudan’s ministry of defense, a statement weighted astatine much than €60m. Mafi herself reportedly earned $6m euros successful costs aft “[coordinating] nan Sudanese delegation’s recreation to Iran”.
Sudan has been fighting a civil war since 2023, a conflict that has killed arsenic galore arsenic hundreds of thousands of civilians and displaced upwards of 13 cardinal group successful nan region.
Pictures posted to societal media see Mafi posing pinch weapons astatine a storage successful Turkey and enjoying a formation time successful California, nan Los Angeles Times reported.
If convicted, Mafi faces up to 20 years successful national prison. She is expected to make her first tribunal quality connected Monday astatine nan US territory tribunal successful Los Angeles.
