LA area woman charged with trafficking arms on behalf of Iranian government
LOS ANGELES (KESQ) - A Woodland Hills woman charged with trafficking arms on behalf of the Iranian government was behind bars today awaiting a detention hearing later this week in federal court.
Shamim Mafi, 44, made her first appearance before a judge Monday but did not enter a plea to allegations she plotted to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by brokering the sale of Iranian-made weapons -- drones, bombs, and millions of rounds of ammunition -- to Sudan's military.
An Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016, Mafi could face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted, according to Bill Essayli, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.
Last night, Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for trafficking arms on behalf of the government of Iran. She is charged with a violation of 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of… pic.twitter.com/l39Gf1WVed
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) April 19, 2026
Mafi was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday while attempting to board a flight to Turkey, officials said.
A magistrate judge ordered her to remain in custody at least until her possible pretrial release is discussed Thursday at a detention hearing in Los Angeles federal court. An arraignment date has not yet been scheduled.
It was not immediately known if Mafi had secured legal representation.
"This individual came from Iran and gained legal status under the Obama administration,'' Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Monday. "While enjoying a life in the United States, this woman was allegedly breaking the law by brokering lethal weapons deals with Iranian adversaries."
"This will not stand, and anyone who breaks our laws and threatens national security will be prosecuted to the fullest extent."
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Mafi schemed to broker the sale of weapons, weapons components and ammunition on behalf of the government of Iran in violation of U.S. law.
She owns and operates an Oman-based company, Atlas International Business LLC, which also is known as Atlas Global Holding and Atlas Tech LLC, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In early 2025, Mafi allegedly brokered weapons deals on Iran's behalf through her company.
Prosecutors contend she facilitated a contract worth more than $70 million for the sale of the Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone from Iran's defense ministry to Sudan's military. She also coordinated the Sudanese delegation's travel to Iran and was paid more than $7 million, U.S. officials allege.
Federal prosecutors also allege Mafi brokered the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan and submitted a letter of intent to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to purchase the fuses for Sudan. Mafi also allegedly brokered the sale of millions of rounds of ammunition from Iran to Sudan.
The IEEPA imposes controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism, according to the 1977 act.
At no time did Mafi apply for or obtain the required licenses from the U.S. Treasury Department to engage in any transactions alleged in the affidavit. She also never registered with or applied for approval from the U.S. Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to engage in brokering activities with respect to U.S. or foreign defense articles, prosecutors said.
Records obtained pursuant to a search warrant show nearly 62 bidirectional contacts between Mafi and an Iranian intelligence officer's phone numbers between December 2022 and June 2025, according to prosecutors in the Central District.
"As acting Attorney General Todd Blanche made clear, the Department of Justice will aggressively prosecute violations of U.S. sanctions that target foreign adversaries such as the government of Iran,'' Essayli said Monday. "This defendant took advantage of our open immigration system to live freely in Los Angeles while simultaneously working to traffic arms on behalf of a country that seeks to destroy us. Not on our watch. We look forward to securing a long prison sentence for her blatant criminal conduct."
