Amin al-Baroudi, Conspiring to Violate U.S. Sanctions, Virginia 2016

Alexandria, VA – In a shocking turn of events, Amin al-Baroudi, a 50-year-old Syrian-born naturalized U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to export U.S.-origin goods from the United States to Syria in violation of sanctions imposed on Syria by the U.S. government.

According to court documents, al-Baroudi and his co-conspirators exported U.S. tactical equipment to Syria for the purpose of supplying and arming Ahrar al-Sham and other insurgent groups in Syria whose stated goal is to overthrow the Assad government and install an Islamic state in Syria. Ahrar al-Sham frequently fights alongside Jabhat al-Nusrah, which has been designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and operates as al-Qaeda’s official branch in Syria.

Al-Baroudi and his co-conspirators purchased tens of thousands of dollars of goods from companies and vendors in the United States, consisting largely of tactical equipment such as sniper rifle scopes, night vision rifle scopes, night vision goggles, laser bore sighters, speed loaders, and bullet proof vests. Al-Baroudi and his co-conspirators traveled with the goods aboard commercial flights to Turkey and then transported the goods into Syria or provided them to others for transport. Al-Baroudi made two such trips in February and March of 2013.

Al-Baroudi was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 9, 2015. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on May 6, 2016. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia K. Martinez is prosecuting the case. The FBI’s Washington and Los Angeles Field Offices and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case. The DHS’s Homeland Security Investigations, California Highway Patrol, the Irvine Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory in Orange County, California, have provided significant assistance.

The case against al-Baroudi serves as a stark reminder of the importance of enforcing U.S. sanctions and the potential consequences for those who choose to disregard them. As law enforcement continues to crack down on individuals and groups who seek to circumvent U.S. sanctions, it is essential that we remain vigilant and proactive in our efforts to prevent and investigate such crimes.

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