Federal authorities have arrested a California technology executive accused of operating a sophisticated decade-long scheme to supply restricted American computer networking equipment to Iran’s military and nuclear enrichment programs.
Jamshid Ghomi, 63, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen residing in Newport Coast, California, faces charges of conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions laws. According to prosecutors, Ghomi used millions of dollars in illicit proceeds from the operation to finance construction of his $35 million Newport Beach mansion.
The indictment alleges that Ghomi, founder and chief executive of Tehran-based Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh Co. Ltd., spent more than ten years acquiring sophisticated American networking, security, and encryption equipment, then funneling it to Iranian government entities through intermediaries in the United Arab Emirates.
“As alleged, Ghomi enriched himself by supplying U.S. technology to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and other sanctioned entities responsible for Iran’s nuclear program,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg stated.
Court documents reveal that investigators traced more than $15 million in funds tied to Ghomi’s Iran-based business flowing into American financial accounts over a thirteen-year period. These accounts allegedly included those used to finance his Newport Coast residence.
Prosecutors contend that Ghomi laundered proceeds through an elaborate network of offshore companies and exchange houses located in the British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Many of the transfers allegedly contained false descriptions such as “Buying Goods” and “For Consulting Fees” to disguise their true purpose.
Federal authorities further allege that Ghomi misrepresented the incoming funds to the Internal Revenue Service as a foreign inheritance while reporting minimal income on his tax returns.
Former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman emphasized the significance of the FBI’s counter-intelligence success in exposing the technology transfer scheme. Hoffman noted the potential damage to U.S. national security, particularly regarding Iran’s ability to enhance its nuclear program with American technology.
The arrest represents part of a broader federal effort to dismantle Iranian procurement networks and intelligence operations. In recent years, federal authorities have charged multiple Iranian nationals and operatives accused of obtaining U.S. technology for military purposes and acting on behalf of the Iranian government.
The case underscores the ongoing challenge of preventing sensitive American technology from reaching adversarial nations through complex international networks designed to evade sanctions. The sophisticated nature of the alleged scheme, involving multiple jurisdictions and financial intermediaries, demonstrates the lengths to which such operations will go to circumvent U.S. export controls.
As this case proceeds through the federal court system, it will likely provide further insight into the methods used by sanctioned nations to acquire restricted Western technology and the vulnerabilities in international commerce that enable such activities.
The charges against Ghomi carry significant penalties, though he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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