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LAX Arrest in Alleged Iran-to-Sudan Arms Scheme Tied to $70 Million Drone Deal

Prosecutors call it a test of U.S. sanctions enforcement against Iran’s covert arms networks.

Overview

  • Mafi, arrested at LAX on Saturday night while preparing to fly to Istanbul, is charged under 50 U.S.C. § 1705 with brokering Iranian weapons sales to Sudan.
  • The unsealed complaint cites a $70.6 million contract for Mohajer-6 armed drones and a separate transfer of about 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan’s defense ministry.
  • Investigators say she used an Oman-registered company, Atlas International Business, and routed funds through Turkey and the UAE, with records showing the firm took in more than $7 million in 2025.
  • Phone and interview records describe about 62 contacts with an officer of Iran’s intelligence ministry between December 2022 and June 2025.
  • She is set for an initial court appearance Monday in Los Angeles, faces up to 20 years if convicted, and remains presumed innocent as agents continue to review seized records and devices.