Mozaffar Khazaee, Stealing U.S. Military Technology, Connecticut 2023

Mozaffar Khazaee

Mozaffar Khazaee, a 61-year-old former Manchester, Connecticut resident, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for attempting to send highly sensitive U.S. military technology to Iran.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin announced that Khazaee was sentenced to 97 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for attempting to send to Iran voluminous hard copy documents, computer media and electronic data containing highly sensitive, proprietary, trade secret and export controlled material relating to U.S. military jet engines, which he had stolen from multiple U.S. defense contractors where he had previously been employed.

Khazaee was also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine.

“Mozaffar Khazaee betrayed his defense contractor employers and the national security interests of the United States by stealing and attempting to send to Iran voluminous documents containing highly sensitive U.S. defense technology,” said U.S. Attorney Daly. “U.S. companies are being relentlessly targeted by those who seek to steal our intellectual property, our trade secrets and our advanced defense technology – whether through a computer hack or cyber intrusion, or through an insider or rogue employee.”

“Mozaffar Khazaee exploited his privileged access to national security assets to steal highly sensitive military technology with the intent of providing it to Iran,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. “Violations of the Arms Export Control Act, particularly those involving attempts to transfer sensitive defense technology to a foreign power, are among the most significant national security threats we face, and we will continue to leverage the criminal justice system to prevent, confront, and disrupt them.”

The crime occurred on an unspecified date, but the sentencing took place on an unspecified date in 2023. The case was a result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Boston, the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).

Mozaffar Khazaee, 61, formerly of Manchester, Connecticut, has been convicted of attempting to send to Iran voluminous hard copy documents, computer media and electronic data containing highly sensitive, proprietary, trade secret and export controlled material relating to U.S. military jet engines.

The defendant was charged with attempting to send to Iran highly sensitive U.S. military technology, which is a violation of the Arms Export Control Act.

The case was a result of a whole-of-government effort involving multiple federal law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Related Federal Cases