Key facts
- Tech CEO Jamshid Ghomi arrested for allegedly supplying U.S. technology to Iran's nuclear and military programs.
- Prosecutors allege Ghomi used millions in illicit proceeds to fund his $35 million mansion.
- He is accused of acquiring restricted U.S. networking, security, and encryption equipment for sanctioned Iranian entities.
- Ghomi allegedly disguised illicit financial flows through offshore companies and exchange houses.
- He faces charges of conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions laws and up to 20 years in prison.
Jamshid Ghomi, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and tech CEO, is accused of using millions of dollars in illicit proceeds from a scheme to supply U.S. technology to Iran's military and nuclear programs to fund the construction of his $35 million mansion in Newport Coast, California. Federal prosecutors allege that Ghomi, founder and CEO of Tehran-based Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh Co. Ltd. (FPR), spent over a decade acquiring sophisticated U.S. networking, security, and encryption equipment and funneling it to sanctioned Iranian government entities, including the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), through intermediaries in the United Arab Emirates. The alleged sanctions-evasion scheme generated millions for Ghomi, who is accused of disguising the money's origin through a network of offshore companies and exchange houses before moving over $15 million into U.S. financial accounts. These funds were allegedly used to finance the construction of his 14,000-square-foot mansion, which he purchased the land for in 2010 for $4.5 million and spent over $10 million constructing. Prosecutors contend that Ghomi falsely reported incoming funds as foreign inheritance and claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit despite reporting little income. He faces charges of conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions laws and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.