Shamim Mafi arrested for alleged arms trafficking for Iran
Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian national and U.S. permanent resident from Woodland Hills, California, was arrested on April 18, 2026, at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) while attempting to board a flight to Turkey.
Arrest Details
Federal agents intercepted her based on a criminal complaint filed hours earlier in Los Angeles federal court. She faces charges under 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for conspiracy in brokering arms deals worth millions, involving Iranian-made drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and ammunition sold to Sudan’s military. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Alleged Activities
Mafi reportedly used an Oman-based company, Atlas International Business, to facilitate the transactions from December 2022 to June 2025. Phone records show her communications with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including a letter of intent for arms purchases. She became a U.S. lawful permanent resident in 2016.
