Federal authorities on Saturday evening arrested an Iranian national at the Los Angeles International Airport, accusing the woman of trafficking weapons on behalf of Iran.
Shamim Mafi, 44 and a lawful permanent U.S. resident, was charged with brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli.
“Anyone who violates United States sanctions laws will be vigorously prosecuted by the DOJ,” Essayli said in a post to X.
The California resident is expected to make her initial court appearance on Monday in U.S. district Court in downtown Los Angeles. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
One of the contracts Mafi allegedly brokered was an over $70 million sale of Iranian-made drones to Sudan, according to Fox News. In another instance, Mafi is accused of selling over 50,000 bomb fuses to the Sudanese military.
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Mafi was born in Iran, relocated to Turkey, and most recently lived in Woodland Hills, California, according to the criminal complaint. As she allegedly coordinated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Mafi traveled frequently to Iran, Turkey, Oman, and other countries, executing the weapons trafficking scheme from multiple locations, including California, according to prosecutors.
Mafi’s arrest comes as the U.S. war against Iran stretches into its seventh week. The regime’s nuclear and ballistic missile program, along with its support for terrorism internationally, including in the United States, have long concerned Washington, sparking the latest conflict on Feb. 28.