Jamshid Ghomi, a businessman from Newport Coast, California, faces charges for allegedly supplying American computer networking equipment to organizations in Iran. These organizations are reportedly linked to Iran’s nuclear and military programs. The U.S. Justice Department has charged him with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Mr. Ghomi, 63, holds dual citizenship with Iran and the United States. He is the chief executive of Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh, a Tehran-based technology company. According to a federal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Mr. Ghomi purchased significant quantities of American technology from 2011 through 2023. He used intermediaries in the United Arab Emirates to route the equipment to Iran, evading legal export restrictions.
Prosecutors state Mr. Ghomi obtained technologies such as routers, firewalls, switches, and modules manufactured by companies including Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Extreme Networks, and Hewlett-Packard. These were primarily acquired through eBay and transported illegally to Iran.
“Our nation’s laws prohibiting doing business with one of the world’s largest state sponsors of terrorism must be enforced and obeyed,” stated Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California.
Mr. Ghomi’s company reportedly supplied American-made equipment to Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization and its Ministry of Defense, selling networking, security, and encryption equipment from 2014 to 2022. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
The authorities claim Mr. Ghomi transferred proceeds from his sales into the United States through a network of companies and exchange houses, involving several locations such as the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Hong Kong, and the British Virgin Islands. Investigators identified over $15 million moved from Iran into accounts linked to Mr. Ghomi between 2011 and 2024. He allegedly reported this money as a foreign inheritance while declaring minimal income on federal tax returns.
Mr. Ghomi’s initial court appearance occurred on Wednesday, but he did not enter a plea according to information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
This case is part of ongoing efforts by the U.S. government to prevent Iran, Russia, and China from accessing American technology. Recently, the Justice and Commerce Departments have intensified enforcement of laws limiting the transfer of critical technologies to rival nations.