FBI Raids $35M Mansion of Tech Boss Charged With Arming Iran
Federal agents arrested Iranian-American tech executive Jamshid Ghomi at his $35 million Newport Beach estate for allegedly funneling American computer hardware to Iran's military in violation of U.S. sanctions.
Jamshid Ghomi, 63, of Newport Coast, faces charges of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, according to New York Post. The dual U.S.-Iran citizen was expected to appear in Santa Ana federal court Wednesday afternoon.
Federal prosecutors allege Ghomi generated millions of dollars by selling sensitive computer hardware to the Iranian government for military and nuclear use, employing sophisticated schemes to conceal the illegal transactions from U.S. authorities.
Bill Essayli, Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor, said Ghomi stands accused of aiding our declared enemies by selling American computer networking components to Iran while pocketing millions in violation of sanctions law.
Essayli vowed accountability through both criminal prosecution and asset seizure, including confiscation of the accused’s $35 million Newport Beach residence.
Tactical Raid on Ocean-View Mansion
Dozens of tactical agents armed with automatic weapons assembled early Wednesday at a parking area near the exclusive gated community housing Ghomi’s palatial property. The team then deployed in convoy formation to 31 High Water, surrounding the mansion’s manicured grounds before ordering occupants to exit.
Agents escorted Ghomi’s wife and two adult sons from the Italianate estate as additional personnel entered with power tools and evidence containers. An interpreter was brought in to question Ghomi before federal officers placed him under arrest and transported him in a silver SUV.
Decade-Long Sanctions Evasion Scheme
For over ten years, Ghomi allegedly operated through a Tehran-based computer networking firm he established called Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh to acquire American networking equipment for Iranian customers in direct violation of U.S. sanctions, prosecutors charge.
The scheme involved secret shipments of more than 250 tons of controlled American technology. Investigators say Ghomi used personal eBay and PayPal accounts to make hundreds of additional purchases of computer networking gear illegally exported to Iran.
Ghomi personally negotiated equipment purchases from suppliers in Minnesota and Nebraska, routing the hardware through a United Arab Emirates front company before final delivery to his Iranian operation, authorities state.
Freight forwarders and intermediaries in Dubai helped disguise Iran as the true destination for overseas shipments. Internal communications among Ghomi and co-conspirators allegedly referred to Iran as the “Motherland” when discussing equipment procurement.
Military and Nuclear Connections
The illegally imported technology reached hundreds of Iranian companies and government entities, many already subject to U.S. sanctions. Prosecutors note that a significant portion of this business served Iran’s nuclear and military apparatus.
Beyond sanctions violations, federal authorities are investigating Ghomi for money laundering, tax evasion, and related offenses. He allegedly earned more than $10 million annually from his computer firm while reporting maximum income of just $20,000 to the IRS.
Oceanfront Property Under Seizure
Ghomi’s most prominent asset is his expansive 14,000-square-foot Newport Coast home, positioned on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the end of a cul-de-sac. Iron gates protect the ornate compound, where six chandeliers are visible from the entrance and dual fountains frame a custom-tiled entryway.
Essayli characterized the arrest as proof of federal resolve in enforcing sanctions against what he described as one of the world’s largest state sponsors of terrorism, emphasizing that laws prohibiting business dealings with Iran must be both enforced and obeyed.
With information from New York Post
