ATLANTA – A federal jury has convicted Jalal Hajavi of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (“ITSR”), smuggling goods from the United States, unlawfully exporting and reexporting goods from the U.S. to Iran without a license, and unlawfully engaging in transactions and dealings based on his participation in a scheme to unlawfully export heavy equipment from the U.S. to Iran by routing the shipments though the United Arab Emirates.
“Hajavi chose to leverage his Florida business to illegally export materials to Iran rather than to lawfully contribute to the U.S. economy,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The U.S. trade sanctions against Iran exist to help keep our country and citizens safe. Those who seek to profit by evading these prohibitions will be held accountable.”
“Falsifying export documents in an attempt to obfuscate the transshipment of U.S. commodities through the United Arab Emirates to Iran is a serious violation of U.S. export laws, and will be vigorously investigated,” said John Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Export Enforcement’s Miami Field Office. “By disrupting illicit procurement networks, we continue to deny U.S. dual-use commodities to countries such as Iran that threaten U.S. national security interests.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Hajavi, through his company JSH Heavy Equipment, LLC, conspired with an individual in Iran to export U.S. heavy machinery indirectly to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). Hajavi orchestrated the scheme by locating heavy equipment for sale, such as bobcats and wheel loaders, and sending information about the equipment to his co-conspirator in Iran. Hajavi purchased the items from U.S. sellers and used freight forwarding companies to…
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