Two men charged with military spare part exports to Iran

A California Bay Area business owners conspired with a Miami-area man to sell military spare parts to Iranian customers in violation of federal export laws, according to charges filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Florida.

The criminal charges, unsealed Monday in Miami, accuse Hassan Saied Keshari of Novato, Calif., and Traian Bujduveanu of Plantation, Fla., with violating the U.S. Arms Export Control Act and the U.S.-Iran trade embargo. If convicted, both men face up to 20 years in prison and $1 million in fines.

Prosecutors allege Keshari, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Iran, operated an aviation firm in the Bay Area that acted as an intermediary between Iranian customers seeking military spare parts, and Bujduveanu, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Romania. Keshari would forward e-mail request from Iranian customers for such things as jet fighter aircraft and attack helicopters to Bujduveanu, who would obtain the parts and then ship them to Iran through the United Arab Emirates, according to prosecutors.

The defendants are charged with illegally selling U.S. military equipment to Iran, thus helping that country build up its military strength,?said R. Alexander Acosta, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

Investigators built their case on more than 850 e-mails between Keshari抯 firm and Bujduveanu's own business, Orion Aviation Co.

Bujduveanu was arrested at his home in Plantation on Saturday, where agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement found hundreds of parts for C-130 and other aircraft. Keshari was arrested Friday at Miami International Airport.

Both defendants made their initial appearances in federal court Monday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. They are scheduled to appear in federal court again on Thursday to argue for bail.

According to U.S. Attorney抯 Office, the investigation was conducted by members of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Office of Export Enforcement, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Office of Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. 

Source: American Shipper