An Iranian-born businesswoman and U.S. green card holder has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport over allegations that she played a key role in facilitating arms deals linked to Iran, including the supply of drones and ammunition reportedly destined for Sudan.
The suspect, 44-year-old Shamim Mafi of Woodland Hills, was arrested on Saturday night and charged with acting as an intermediary in weapons transactions involving Iranian military equipment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Prosecutors allege that Mafi, who left Iran in 2013 and became a lawful permanent U.S. resident in 2016, used an Oman-registered company, Atlas International Business, to help coordinate arms-related deals as recently as 2025.
Court filings claim she was involved in a contract valued at over $70 million for Iranian-made Mohajer-6 armed drones, allegedly produced by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. The shipments were also said to include about 55,000 bomb fuses, with Sudan’s Ministry of Defense identified as a recipient amid the country’s ongoing civil conflict.
Investigators also reportedly traced phone records showing communication between Mafi and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security between December 2022 and June 2025.
Prosecutors say she had no legal authority to carry out such transactions within the United States. However, Mafi reportedly told investigators she was never formally instructed by Iranian authorities to act on their behalf in the U.S.
Court documents further allege that Iranian intelligence officials had earlier seized property she inherited in 2020 and later encouraged her to establish a business in the United States to help repurchase those assets, with promises of financial backing from Tehran.
She is also quoted in the filings as allegedly stating that she was “more useful” to Iranian intelligence while in Iran than in the United States.
U.S. authorities say she has been charged under federal law for brokering the sale of Iranian-made military equipment, including drones, explosives, bomb components, and large quantities of ammunition allegedly destined for Sudan.
In a statement posted on X, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed the arrest, noting that Mafi is expected to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon.
He added that if convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Mafi is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
