Iranian Woman With US Green Card Arrested At LA Airport Over Alleged Iran-Linked Drone, Bomb Deals

Last Updated:April 19, 2026, 23:44 IST

The woman was taken into custody and charged with arranging the sale of Iranian drones, bombs and millions of rounds of ammunition destined for Sudan.

A 44-year-old Iranian businesswoman with a U.S. green card was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night for allegedly brokering arms deals on behalf of Tehran, according to Bill Essayli, First Assistant US Attorney.

She is charged with brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan, he added.

In a post on X, Essayli shared details, saying, “If convicted, she faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Mafi is an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016. She is expected to make her initial appearance on Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. She is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court."

According to a report by the New York Post, Shamim Mafi, a resident of Woodland Hills, was taken into custody and charged with arranging the sale of Iranian drones, bombs, and millions of rounds of ammunition destined for Sudan.

Prosecutors allege that Mafi maintained close contact with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, which reportedly provided instructions and funding for her to establish a business operation in the United States. Court records cited in the report indicate she used an Oman-registered firm, Atlas International Business, to facilitate the transactions as recently as 2025.

“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," Essayli said Sunday, announcing the arrest, according to the report.

Among the alleged deals was a contract worth more than $70 million involving Iranian-made Mohajer-6 armed drones supplied by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. The drones, along with approximately 55,000 bomb fuses, were reportedly transferred in agreements with Sudan’s Ministry of Defense, which has been engaged in a civil war since 2023.

Mafi, who left Iran in 2013 and obtained permanent U.S. residency in 2016, also maintained a public profile on social media, where she shared images of international travel and a luxury lifestyle, including posing with a high-end Mercedes-Benz roadster, the report added.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the case.

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