Iranian-born US permanent resident Shamim Mafi was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on charges of brokering arms deals for Tehran, including drones, bombs and ammunition allegedly destined for Sudan, the New York Post reported, citing the office of the US Attorney for the Central District of California.
The report said Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was taken into custody on Saturday night and accused of using an Oman-registered company to arrange weapons sales as recently as 2025.
Among the alleged deals was a contract worth more than $70 million for Iranian-made Mohajer-6 armed drones from Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, the report said.
The report added that prosecutors alleged phone records showed contact between Mafi and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security between December 2022 and June 2025.
Mafi told investigators she had never been tasked by Iran to conduct activities in the United States, according to the report.
In a post on X, US Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said Mafi faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
“She is charged with a violation of 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan,” Essayli said.
Essayli added that Mafi is expected to make her initial court appearance on Monday afternoon in US District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
