A dual U.S.-Israeli citizen and co-director of a Maryland-based think tank has been indicted on multiple international crimes.
Gal Luft, 57, was charged with eight counts, including failing to register as a foreign agent, arms trafficking, and violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.
Luft was arrested on February 17 in the Republic of Cyprus, but fled after being released on bail while extradition proceedings were pending and remains a fugitive.
According to the indictment, Luft conspired with others to advance the interests of China without registering as required under U.S. law.
While serving as co-director of the think tank, Luft allegedly recruited and paid a former high-ranking U.S. government official to publicly support policies favorable to China without filing a registration statement as an agent of a foreign principal.
In the weeks before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Luft and a co-conspirator created a written dialogue between the official and a Chinese national, which was published in a Chinese newspaper online and sent to individuals in the United States.
Luft also conspired to broker illicit arms transactions with Chinese individuals and entities, working to find buyers and sellers of weapons and other materials without a license.
The indictment alleges that Luft worked to broker deals for Chinese companies to sell weapons to Libya, the United Arab Emirates, and Kenya, including anti-tank launchers, grenade launchers, mortar rounds, aerial bombs, rockets, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The charges against Luft include willfully failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), arms trafficking, Iranian sanctions violations, and making false statements to federal agents.
Luft’s status remains that of a fugitive following his escape from Cyprus.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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