Man Sentenced for Exporting Sophisticated Technology to Iran

A Tampa man was sentenced Thursday, October 18, 2012, to four years in federal prison for conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transaction Regulations. He was also ordered to serve one year of supervised release and forfeit $10 million, which was traceable to proceeds from the offense. This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Export Enforcement.

According to court documents, between 2003 and 2011, Mohammad Reza "Ray" Hajian, 57, of Tampa, conspired with others to unlawfully export sophisticated, enterprise-level computer and related equipment from the United States to Iran, in violation of the U.S. embargo. 

In an effort to conceal their activities, Hajian and his co-conspirators routed shipments of computers and related equipment, payments and travel between the United States and Iran through the United Arab Emirates. Hajian and his co-conspirators communicated with each other via email. They employed fake identities, fake end-users and coded language to mask the true nature of their activities. Hajian shipped approximately $14.85 million worth of computer and related equipment during the conspiracy.

"The magnitude and scope of the threats facing the United States has never been greater than today, and that's why Homeland Security Investigations investigates individuals who try to export sensitive technologies to hostile nations," said Sue McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. "Homeland Security Investigations takes pride in protecting our country, and today's sentencing is the latest example of our effective investigative efforts."

"Today's sentencing demonstrates the ongoing cooperation with our federal law enforcement partners to prevent U.S. technology from falling into the wrong hands. In this case, a key Iranian procurement network which could have been damaging to U.S. national security was shut down," said Robert Luzzi, special agent in charge of the U.S. Department of Commerce/Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement Miami Field Office. "Parties who conspire to export to embargoed destinations such as Iran will be pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Hajian pleaded guilty July 11. Three of his companies, RH International LLC, Nexiant LLC, and P & P Computers LLC, also pleaded guilty that same day.

Man Arrested in Atlanta for Exporting Illegally to Iran

The president of a South Carolina-based firm specializing in synthesized motor oils was arrested Saturday, May 19, at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Export Enforcement.

Markos Baghdasarian, the president of Delfin Group USA, was charged by criminal complaint, issued in the District of South Carolina, with exporting goods from the United States to Iran without the required U.S. Department of the Treasury licenses and with making false statements on official government documents. If convicted of these charges, Baghdasarian could face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Baghdasarian made his first appearance before a magistrate judge in the Northern District of Georgia earlier today.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Baghdasarian served as president of Delfin Group USA, which is a Russian-owned producer of synthetic motor oils that is located in North Charleston, S.C. From as early as June 13, 2010, until Oct. 12, 2011, Baghdasarian is alleged to have engaged in prohibited transactions with customers in Iran, including Pars Oil, which is an oil company owned by the government of Iran. U.S. persons and companies are prohibited from engaging in commercial transactions involving Iran unless authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

As further detailed in the criminal complaint affidavit, in August 2011, Baghdasarian exported aviation engine oils and polymer valued at $850,000 to Iran. Baghdasarian is alleged to have concealed that Iranian customers were the true recipients of the shipment by falsely asserting in an official document that a business entity in the United Arab Emirates was the ultimate consignee for the goods.

This case was the product of an extensive investigation by HSI and the Office of Export Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ryan Fayhee of the Counterespionage Section in the U.S. Department of Justice's National Security Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alston Badger of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina, Charleston Division.

Charges set forth in a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

ICE Announces New Export Enforcement Center

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on March 7 the opening of a multi-agency center established to coordinate and enhance federal export enforcement efforts.

In November 2010, President Obama issued Executive Order 13558 mandating the departments with export control authority to coordinate their efforts to protect and enforce U.S. export control laws and share intelligence across relevant departments and agencies. The Export Enforcement Coordination Center, or E2C2, serves as the primary center for this effort and will protect the nation's most sensitive technology through coordination and collaboration among the U.S. government export enforcement agencies that are authorized to conduct criminal investigations related to possible violations.

The center will be administered by a director from ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with deputy directors from the Department of Justice and the Department of Commerce.

"Both our national security and our economic security are dependent on our ability to maintain a vibrant trade system as we safely and efficiently move people and goods across our borders," said ICE Director John Morton. "Export enforcement is a vital tool to prevent criminals and terrorists from obtaining our most sensitive weapons and technologies. The Export Enforcement Coordination Center is designed to further our ability to do so, with robust interagency cooperation and intelligence sharing."

Participating departments and organizations include the departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Commerce, State, Treasury, Defense, Energy, and the Director of National Intelligence, with representation from agencies including the FBI, the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Security Service and numerous other law enforcement and licensing components.