Iranian Green Card Holder Arrested at LAX for Allegedly Brokering Arms Sales from Iran to Sudan

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 22:27:00 +0200

Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian immigrant and U.S. green card holder living in Woodland Hills, California, was arrested Saturday night, April 19, 2026, at Los Angeles International Airport. Federal authorities charged her with violating U.S. sanctions by brokering the sale of Iranian-made weapons—including armed drones, bombs, bomb fuses, AK-47s, and millions of rounds of ammunition—to Sudan's Armed Forces. Prosecutors allege Mafi used her connections and a company in Oman to facilitate these deals, helping Iran supply munitions to the Sudanese military amid its ongoing civil war, which has killed over 100,000 people and displaced millions since 2023. The case highlights efforts to skirt American sanctions on the Iranian regime. Mafi, who became a lawful permanent resident in 2016, frequently traveled to Iran, Turkey, Oman, and other countries. Social media showed her posing with weapons at arms supplier offices in Turkey alongside lifestyle photos from Dubai and Los Angeles. She fa