Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian businesswoman has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night for allegedly trafficking arms on behalf of the Iranian government. According to the US Attorney’s office for the Central District of California Mafi is a Woodland Hills resident and is accused of brokering deals which involves Iranian made drones, bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition that were reportedly destined for Sudan. The authorities has filled a case against her under a violation which consists of sanctions and prohibited foreign transactions.
US Attorney Bill Essayli stated in a post on X that “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.”
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… pic.twitter.com/l39Gf1WVed
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) April 19, 2026
If Mafi is convicted, she will face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The investigators allege that Mafi used an Oman-registered company, Atlas International Business, to facilitate the deals, some of which reportedly continued as recently as 2025. Among the transactions in court documents in a contract worth more than $70 million for Mohajer-6 armed drones which is manufactured by Iran’s ministry of defence and Armed Forces Logistics.
The drones, along with tens of thousands of bomb fuses, were allegedly supplied to Sudan’s ministry of defence, which has been engaged in a violent civil conflict since 2023.
The US administrative authorities have also claimed that the phone records reveals that Mafi was in direct contact with Iran’s ministry of intelligence and security between December 2022 and June 2025. Prosecutors say she did not have the legal authorisation required to conduct such transactions.
Who is Shamim Mafi?
Shamim Mafi is an Iranian national who left Iran in 2013 and became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016. Despite of the allegations, her image appeared different. She frequently posts her luxurious lifestyle on social media consisting of images of international travel and posing with an expensive Mercedes-Benz roadster.
She is likely to appear in a Los Angeles court on Monday, 20th April 2026 afternoon for her initial hearing.
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
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