DoJ: Iranian National Faces 5-Year Jail Term for Violating US Sanctions

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Iranian citizen Arash Sepheri pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to unlawfully export technology and goods to Iran in violation of US sanctions, the Department of Justice said in a press release.

"Sepehri, 38, a citizen of Iran, pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, to a federal charge stemming from his role in a conspiracy to cause the export of controlled goods and technology to Iran, in violation of US Department of Commerce and military controls, as well as in contravention of sanctions imposed against Iran," the release said on Thursday.

According to court documents, Sepheri was an employee and a board member of Tajhiz Sanat Shayan, an Iranian company that was sanctioned by the European Union in 2011 for procuring components for Iran’s nuclear program.

"Sepehri and others conspired to obtain high-resolution sonar equipment, data input boards, rugged laptops, acoustic transducers and other controlled technology from the United States," the release said.

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Sepehri and his co-conspirators attempted to evade legal controls by using a number of aliases, United Arab Emirates-based front companies and an intermediary Hong Kong-based shipping company, the release said.

The conspiracy charge in Sepheri’s case is a felony punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties.

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