LA Woman Accused of Trafficking Arms for Iran

A Los Angeles woman accused of helping Iran move weapons into one of the world's deadliest wars was arrested at LAX on Saturday night. Federal prosecutors say 44-year-old Shamim Mafi was stopped as she prepared to board a flight to Turkey and charged with arranging sales of drones, bombs, fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition from Iran to Sudan's military, which is battling in a civil war that has killed an estimated 100,000 people since 2023, per the Los Angeles Times.

According to a criminal complaint, Mafi emigrated from Iran, settled in Los Angeles' Woodland Hills neighborhood, obtained a US green card in 2016, and then went to work for Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security. She allegedly used an Omani shell company to route cash and weapons, including Qods Mohajer-6 drones, to the Sudanese Armed Forces, working around US sanctions using crates of $100 bills, informal money-exchange networks, and Dubai banks. One contract for drones was allegedly valued at $70 million, per LAist. She also allegedly brokered the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses. In exchange, her son was excluded from mandatory military service, according to the complaint. She faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted and is due in federal court Monday.