Iranian national Amin Mahdavi, 53, and UAE-based freight forwarding company Parthia Cargo LLC were charged in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., with conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions by smuggling American-made commercial aircraft parts to Iran. The criminal complaint alleges a deliberate, high-stakes scheme to bypass strict export controls designed to protect national security.
Mahdavi, identified as Managing Director of Parthia Cargo LLC, is accused of personally coordinating the illegal shipment of U.S.-origin aircraft components to an Iranian air transport company—despite acknowledging in 2017 that a U.S. government license was required. Instead of complying, he allegedly used his freight forwarding business to disguise the final destination, falsely assuring U.S. suppliers the parts wouldn’t reach Iran without authorization.
Federal prosecutors say the conspiracy involved a network of foreign intermediaries who posed as legitimate buyers, only to reroute the sensitive technology to Iran. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin didn’t mince words: “We will not abide individuals or business organizations that seek to harm our national security by providing coveted U.S. goods to Iran.”
Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers emphasized the broader threat: “Iran evades the U.S. embargo resulting from their malicious activities with the collaboration of those who pose as innocent buyers.” The charges serve as a direct warning to freight forwarders and logistics firms globally: facilitating illicit transshipments carries severe consequences under U.S. law.
If convicted, Mahdavi faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Parthia Cargo LLC could be fined up to $500,000. A related UAE entity, Delta Parts Supply FZC, was also sanctioned in a concurrent action by the Department of the Treasury. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Bureau of Industry and Security’s Boston Field Office.
The charges include conspiracy to defraud the United States and violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSRs). Authorities stress the complaint is an allegation—Mahdavi and Parthia Cargo LLC are presumed innocent until proven guilty. But the message from D.C. is clear: sanctions violators, no matter their location, will be hunted down.”
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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