Man convicted of sending explosion-graded industrial parts to Iran

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Centreville resident was convicted Tuesday for violating U.S. economic sanctions on Iran by sending explosion-graded industrial parts to a petrochemical company in Iran. The conviction follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. and the Department of Commerce’s Washington Office of Export Enforcement.

Mehdi Khorramshahgol, 50, conspired with others in Iran to purchase industrial goods from United States businesses for the Iranian petrochemical industry. The defendant falsely represented that the end users for his purchases were in Dubai. After the defendant purchased the goods and shipped them to Dubai, other co-conspirators repackaged the goods for onward shipment to Tehran. The conspiracy used a series of false invoices, false-end users and front companies to hide its illicit activity.

Khorramshahgol was indicted April 25 on four counts of violating and conspiring to violate the U.S. economic sanction on Iran, one count of conspiring to defraud the United States and one count of aiding and abetting a material false statement.

He faces a potential maximum penalty of 90 years imprisonment when he is sentenced Nov.1, though the anticipated sentencing guideline range is much lower.