U.S. Citizen Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Electronic Equipment and Technology to the Government of Iran

Defendant Conspired to Illegally Export U.S. Goods and Technology Without Required Export Licenses

 Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Kambiz Attar Kashani, a dual citizen of the United States and Iran, pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally export U.S. goods, technology, and services to end users in Iran, including the Government of Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).  Today’s plea proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Marcia M. Henry.  When sentenced, Kashani faces up to 20 years in prison.  The defendant has agreed to pay a $50,000 fine.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Joseph R. Bonavolanta, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, announced the guilty plea.

As set forth in court filings, between February 2019 and June 2021, Kashani and his co-conspirators, using two United Arab Emirates companies, evaded U.S. export laws by procuring electronic goods, technology, and services from U.S. technology companies for end users in Iran, including the Government of Iran, without obtaining required licenses or other authorization from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.  Kashani acted at the direction of an arm of the Central Bank of Iran, which has been designated by the United States government as acting for or on behalf of terrorist organizations. 

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon and Meredith A. Arfa are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney S. Derek Shugert of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.