Iranian National Shamim Mafi Arrested at LAX for Allegedly Brokering Weapons Sales to Sudan on Behalf of Tehran

LOS ANGELES — A 44-year-old Iranian national and lawful U.S. permanent resident was arrested Saturday night at Los Angeles International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Turkey, accused of trafficking arms for the Iranian government.

Shamim Mafi, of Woodland Hills, California, faces charges under 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for brokering the sale of Iranian-made drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition to Sudan’s armed forces.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced the arrest Sunday: “Last night, Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for trafficking arms on behalf of the government of Iran. She is charged with a violation of 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan.”

A criminal complaint filed March 12 details that Mafi and an unnamed co-conspirator operated an Oman-based company, Atlas International Business, which received over $7 million in 2025 for facilitating weapons shipments. Among the deals: brokering the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan, with Mafi submitting a letter of intent directly to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

In 2024, a Sudanese weapons broker contacted Mafi seeking Qods Mohajer-6 drones — the same model Iran has supplied to Russia for use in Ukraine. Some weapons originated from China. Court documents describe Mafi directing small cash transfers and in-kind exchanges in Turkey to evade detection.

Mafi emigrated from Iran to Istanbul in 2013 before settling in Woodland Hills in 2016. She made multiple trips to Iran, Turkey, and Oman while allegedly working with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security to facilitate the sales.

If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison.