California Man Accused of Supplying U.S. Tech to Iran

A California businessman faces allegations of illegally supplying American computer networking equipment to entities in Iran, some linked to the nation’s nuclear and military programs. The U.S. Justice Department disclosed the charges against Jamshid Ghomi, 63, from Newport Coast, Calif. He is accused of conspiring to breach the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Ghomi, who holds dual citizenship in Iran and the U.S., serves as the chief executive of Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh, a technology firm based in Tehran. Federal prosecutors claim that between 2011 and 2023, Ghomi acquired significant quantities of American-made technology through intermediaries in the United Arab Emirates to ultimately supply Iranian clients. Such exports to Iran are prohibited without explicit authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Treasury Department.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, outlines how Ghomi reportedly sourced restricted networking equipment via eBay. This equipment included routers, firewalls, switches, and modules made by Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Extreme Networks, and Hewlett-Packard.

Ghomi’s company is alleged to have provided American-made gear to Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization from 2017 to 2023. The federal complaint details sales of networking, security, and encryption equipment to Iran’s Ministry of Defense and associated military entities between 2014 and 2022.

Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, emphasized the importance of adherence to laws prohibiting trade with major state sponsors of terrorism. Ghomi faces a potential 20-year prison sentence if convicted. His legal representation did not respond to inquiries for comment.

Authorities allege that Ghomi routed proceeds from his transactions in the U.S. via a network of companies and exchange houses across the UAE, Turkey, Hong Kong, and the British Virgin Islands. Investigators claim more than $15 million was transferred from Iran into accounts associated with Ghomi from 2011 to 2024. Ghomi reportedly claimed these funds as a foreign inheritance on tax filings, while reporting minimal annual income.

Ghomi appeared in court on Wednesday but did not enter a plea, according to information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. This case is part of broader efforts by the U.S. government to restrict access to American technology among countries such as Iran, Russia, and China. Federal agencies have been actively enforcing these laws to prevent critical technology transfers.

Research contributions for this article were provided by Kitty Bennett and Kirsten Noyes.

Mark Walker, a Times reporter, specializes in breaking news and cultural coverage.