A 44-year-old Iranian businesswoman, who lives her life between luxury travel and alleged secret deals, is now at the center of a serious US federal case.Authorities say Shamim Mafi was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday evening on charges of smuggling weapons on behalf of the Iranian government.According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Maffei is a Woodland Hills resident and is accused of brokering deals involving drones, bombs, Iranian-made bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition that were said to be destined for Sudan. The case was filed under a violation related to sanctions and prohibited foreign transactions.In a statement posted on
She is accused of violating Title 50 of the United States Code § 1705 for brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition that Iran manufactured and sold to Sudan.
If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.Investigators allege that Mavi used a company registered in Oman, Atlas International Business, to facilitate the deals, some of which are said to have continued until 2025.
Among the transactions mentioned in court documents is a contract worth more than $70 million for Mohajer 6 armed drones, manufactured by the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.The drones, along with tens of thousands of bomb fuses, were allegedly delivered to the Sudanese Ministry of Defence, which has been involved in a violent civil conflict since 2023.Authorities also claim that phone records show that Mavi was in direct contact with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security between December 2022 and June 2025.
Prosecutors say she did not have the legal authorization required to conduct such transactions.Mavi is an Iranian citizen who left her homeland in 2013 and became a legal permanent resident of the United States in 2016. Despite these allegations, her public image looked different. She has frequently shared photos of a luxurious lifestyle on social media, including photos of international travel and posing with an expensive Mercedes-Benz.She is expected to appear in a Los Angeles court Monday afternoon for a preliminary hearing.
