Who Is Shamim Mafi? Iranian-American Whose Seized Family Inheritance Prosecutors Say Led Her into an Illegal Arms Network

Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, California, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night. She is accused of brokering millions of dollars' worth of Iranian weapons, including drones and bomb fuses, to Sudan's Ministry of Defence. (Credit: Facebook/Shamim Mafi)

Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian-born businesswoman living in Woodland Hills, California, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night on suspicion of trafficking weapons on behalf of the Iranian government. First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli announced on Sunday that 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.'

Mafi, who was born in Iran, entered the US and became a lawful permanent resident in 2016. She resided in Woodland Hills, where she had built a prominent public profile, posting pictures of international travel and luxury vehicles. On social media, she presented the image of a successful international entrepreneur, far removed from the arms networks prosecutors now allege she was operating.