Agents Find Parts For Tomcats, Phantoms, CH-53 Helos
Two men were recently arrested on charges of conspiring to
export military aircraft parts to Iran. The US Immigration and
Customs Enforcement agency states Hassan Saied Keshari and Traian
Bujduveanu are charged in a federal Criminal Complaint with
conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers
Act, the United States Iran Embargo, and the Arms Export Control
Act for their participation in a conspiracy to export US-made
military aircraft parts to Iran.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the Criminal
Complaint, Keshari owns and operates Kesh Air International, a
business located in Novato, CA. Bujduveanu owns and operates Orion
Aviation Corp., located in Plantation, FL.
The affidavit claims since August 2006, Keshari and Bujduveanu
have procured US-made military aircraft parts in the United States
for buyers in Iran and have illegally shipped the parts to a
company in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for shipment to buyers in
Iran. Keshari allegedly received the orders for specific parts by
e-mail from buyers in Iran. Keshari then requested quotes, usually
by e-mail, from Bujduveanu and made arrangements with Bujduveanu
for the sale and shipment of the parts to a company in Dubai. From
Dubai, the parts were then shipped on to Iran.
Among the aircraft parts that Keshari and Bujduveanu are
alleged to have obtained and illegally shipped to buyers in Iran
are parts for the CH-53 military helicopter, the F-14 Tomcat
fighter jet, and the AH-1 attack helicopter. Keshari is also
alleged to have requested quotes for other parts for other military
aircraft, including F-4 Phantom aircraft. All of these aircraft are
known to be used primarily, if not exclusively, by the Iranian
military.
ICE adds all of the parts supplied by Keshari and Bujduveanu are
manufactured in the United States, are designed exclusively for
military use, and have been designated by the United States
Department of State as "defense articles" on the United States
Munitions List, thus requiring registration and licensing with the
DDTC. Neither Keshari nor Bujduveanu are registered or had the
required license to ship defense articles to Iran.
Shortly before midnight on Friday, June 20, 2008, federal agents
arrested Keshari at Miami International Airport as he walked off a
flight from Atlanta. A search warrant was executed on Kesh Air
International on Friday, June 20, 2008. Defendant Bujduveanu was
arrested at his Plantation, FL home on Saturday, June 21, 2008.
Federal agents executed a search warrant at Bujduveanu's home
and business immediately after his arrest. Agents found boxes of
military aircraft parts stored on Bujduvenau's property, including
hundreds of parts for the C-130, the F-5, and other military
aircraft.
"Today's defendants are charged with illegally selling US
military equipment to Iran, thus helping that country build up its
military strength," said R. Alexander Acosta, United States
Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. "We owe it to the
many service men and women who defend us to vigorously prosecute
illegal exports of American military equipment."
"Disrupting illegal procurement networks that attempt to
circumvent our sanctions against Iran is a top priority of the
Bureau of Industry and Security," said Special Agent in Charge,
Michael Johnson. "This case demonstrates the importance of team
work in preventing diversion of sensitive US goods," he added.
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