Category: Security

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Antioch and Pittsburg Police Officers Charged with Public Corruption Crimes

Source: US FBI

“This case is one of the highest priorities for the San Francisco Field Office,” said FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. “Law enforcement officers bear a tremendous responsibility to police our communities lawfully in keeping with the Constitution, and we must always be true to that guiding principle…The citizens of our communities deserve law enforcement personnel who practice what they enforce. Any breach to the public’s trust is absolutely unacceptable.” 

Four separate indictments were issued on August 17, 2023. In the first indictment, referred to as the “college degree benefits fraud indictment,” six defendants allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to defraud Antioch and Pittsburg police departments out of taxpayer dollars by claiming they had earned college credits toward degrees when, instead, they paid others to attend classes and take exams for them.

In June of 2019, an officer of the Pittsburg Police Department allegedly used a person identified as “Individual 1” to complete multiple college courses on his behalf that were credited toward the officer’s Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Once the officer allegedly received a degree, they applied for and received reimbursements and pay increases from the Pittsburg Police Department. The same officer allegedly promoted the services of Individual 1. Five other members of the police departments ended up paying Individual 1 to complete similar coursework towards their degrees. As with the initial officer, they also applied for reimbursements and pay increases from their law enforcement employer.  

In the second indictment, two officers from the Antioch Police Department allegedly conspired to illegally distribute anabolic steroids to an unnamed customer. One of the officers allegedly possessed the drugs, and the other officer attempted to delete incriminating evidence from their cell phone before handing it over to law enforcement for investigation. 

In the third indictment, a defendant from the Antioch Police Department received three charges, two involving alleged interference with a wiretap investigation, and the third involving the illegal seizure and destruction of a telephone. On March 23, 2021, the defendant was assigned to a wire room where they were supposed to monitor communications between a target and others who contacted the target by telephone. The defendant allegedly used his personal cellphone to call a target, covering up any evidence of the call. On May 6, 2021, the defendant was present when another officer used a deployed a police dog while making an arrest. When the defendant saw a witness recording the aftermath of the incident on a cell phone, they allegedly seized and destroyed it. 

The fourth indictment charges three Antioch police officers with conspiracy against rights and deprivation of rights under color of law. The indictment describes several incidents of excessive force, among others. Allegedly, the defendants deployed excessive force as “punishment” to subjects “beyond any punishment appropriated imposed by the criminal justice system.”   

For example, on August 24, 2021, one of the defendants, along with Antioch police officers, executed a search warrant at a residence, located a subject inside a locked bedroom holding a video game controller with a video game on a television screen. When the defendant and other officers entered the room, the subject raised his hands. The officers surrounded the subject, and while one of the officers held down the subject’s arm to arrest him, the defendant deployed the 40mm less lethal launcher, injuring the subject.  

“Color of law violations strike at the very heart of our justice system. They undermine public confidence in the law and law enforcement and erode the fundamental right of our citizens,” said Tripp.  

The indictment includes several other incidents of excessive force as well as the collection and sharing of pictures and munitions to memorialize the acts of violence. 

Note that an indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 

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Ohio Man Deceived into Transferring Life Savings in Cryptocurrency Scam

Source: US FBI

U.S. Seeks to Forfeit 947,883 Tether Cryptocurrency Valued at nearly $1M

CLEVELAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio (USAO) has filed a civil complaint in forfeiture against 947,883 Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency, valued at approximately $947,883. USDT is a virtual currency which are digital tokens of value circulated over the internet. Its transactions are publicly recorded on what is known as a blockchain.

According to court documents, the cryptocurrency fraud scam began in or around October 2023, when an Elyria, Ohio, man was contacted via a pop-up window on this computer with instructions to call a number to resolve a tech issue. The victim was then told that his retirement account had been compromised and that his funds were being wired to accounts in China or Russia and a casino in Las Vegas. He was provided with a purported solution and told that the transactions could be stopped by wiring money. Thinking that he was protecting his retirement account, the victim gave remote computer access to the scammer who then proceeded to withdraw money and move funds into various cryptocurrency accounts. In total, the victim lost his entire life savings of $425,000 as a result of this cryptocurrency fraud scam.

Investigators conducted a blockchain analysis and determined that the stolen funds were converted to USDT cryptocurrency and placed into a virtual currency wallet. Law enforcement officers executed a federal seizure warrant to recover 947,883 USDT tokens, on July 31, 2024, and then transferred these funds to a law-enforcement-controlled virtual currency wallet.

By the Complaint in Forfeiture filed on Nov. 26, 2024, the United States seeks to forfeit the 947,883 USDT cryptocurrency. If successful, the United States would seek to provide compensation to the victim. In the complaint, the United States alleges that the additional cryptocurrency contained in the address is subject to forfeiture as the proceeds of fraud.

The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only, and the United States must prove these allegations by a preponderance of the evidence at trial.

The FBI Cleveland Division is actively investigating cryptocurrency fraud schemes perpetrated on victims throughout the United States, including in the Northern District of Ohio. The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant United States Attorney James L. Morford. The USAO would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in this matter.

If you observe something that you believe might be fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.

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Operation Not Forgotten

Source: US FBI

The Operation Not Forgotten initiative, along with the FBI’s broader Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) strategy, emphasizes the FBI’s continued dedication to address the violence impacting Indigenous communities. When the initiative was announced, agents like Kay from across the Bureau volunteered for temporary assignments in Indian Country. 

On the Yakama Reservation, Kay worked a range of investigations, including those related to homicide, missing persons, gangs, and crimes against children.

“You might not work these kinds of violations anywhere else in the FBI,” he said. “For agents working in Indian Country, it’s the closest thing to being a local police detective.”

In another investigation, Kay tried to locate a child sexual assault victim to see if they would be pressing charges. He and a Yakama Police detective met to share updates on the case and went together to the interview. Unfortunately, the victim wasn’t home, so Kay left his phone number and hoped for a call back. He also drove around the reservation hoping to find the victim before heading back to the FBI office in Yakama.

The assignment to Indian Country has been eye-opening, he said. It’s given him an opportunity to work closely with Native American partners in a part of the country where the mission is so critical.

There are multiple tribal detectives Kay now works with regularly, having quickly established a rapport. “You investigate crime scenes, generate leads, conduct interviews, and make arrests,” Kay said. “All of this is done in partnership with the tribal and local law enforcement.”

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Ohio Man Convicted of Possession and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

Source: US FBI

TOLEDO, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted an Ohio man of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also known as child pornography. Derran Reebel, 52, of Toledo, was found guilty of committing crimes that violate federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation and abuse of children. According to court documents, Reebel knowingly received and distributed CSAM for nearly eight years, from about Jan. 1, 2014 through Aug. 17, 2022. During a search warrant execution conducted at his residence, investigators found numerous books, magazines, periodicals, films, and video tapes that contained visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in his possession.

Law enforcement officials also discovered that Reebel used social media for a number of years to chat with minors and send them sexually explicit messages and photos of himself.

Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Reebel faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI-Toledo. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.

To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Indian Country Onboarding Program

Source: US FBI

Within the FBI, more than 150 agents work as the primary law enforcement body on reservations. The FBI has jurisdiction in Indian Country crimes when a major crime happens against a member of a federally recognized tribe within the boundaries of a reservation. The FBI partners on these investigations with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and any local law enforcement partners working on the reservations.

But what makes the work in Indian Country unique and challenging is the isolation. An agent working in a populous like San Francisco or Boston has more immediate access to personnel and facilities that can aid in an investigation.

But agents working in Indian Country more often than not work alone. As Supervisory Special Agent Jerry Grambow puts it, “When you’re working Indian Country, you may be just yourself and a tribal investigator with you out in the middle of nowhere, and you may not even have cell phone reception. You’re going to have to make command decisions and be able to act responsibly and accordingly.”

As such, the Indian Country Onboarding Program develops agents to operate with more autonomy and survivability and a more comprehensive investigative technique.

During the course, agents learn and reinforce previous training on a variety of subjects, including conducting homicide interviews, finding witnesses, defensive tactics, and remote medical care. They also learn about the cultural differences between them and the Native Americans living on this land and how to communicate better with and assist the communities in seeking justice.

For FBI Phoenix, this is hopefully the first of more programs to come. They expressed gratitude for the learning experience they gained as hosts and plan to solicit feedback on how to improve future trainings. The program is “designed to be scalable and flexible so that we can meet the needs of our agents,” said Akil Davis, head of FBI Phoenix.

One agent who completed the training said that “working in Indian Country is the closest an FBI agent can get to being a police detective.” For him, it was a great way to hone many of his skills, including executing search warrants, learning the internal systems and procedures, conducting arrests, and more.

He appreciates how the Indian Country program helps him become a more independently capable agent and that he gets more work and experience working in Indian Country than he might in other parts of the FBI: “There is more work, it’s faster paced, and you become better at technique and better at relating to individuals you might not have a lot in common with.”

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Ohio Man Sentenced on Felony Civil Disorder Charge for Actions During January 6 Capitol Breach

Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON— An Ohio man was sentenced today after he previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge stemming from his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Adrian Schmidt, 26, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,00 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes. Schmidt previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder on May 29, 2024.

            According to court documents, Schmidt traveled from Cincinnati to Washington, D.C., to attend the former President’s rally on the National Mall. At about 12:50 p.m., Schmidt made his way to a line of barricades erected by U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers around the Capitol building near the Peace Circle Monument. Here, Schmidt was amongst a group of rioters pushing on the barricades, which eventually led to the breach of the outer perimeter of the Capitol.

            After breaching the Peace Circle Monument barricades, Schmidt and the mob of rioters surged toward the Capitol, into the restricted area. Schmidt then stood on top of a small wall and yelled towards other rioters, “Whose House? Our House!” Schmidt then made his way to the front of the mob that had gathered near a black metal fence on the West Plaza and jumped over the fencing as the mob surged forward toward a line of USCP officers.

            Schmidt again moved to the front of the mob and confronted the line of USCP officers on the West Plaza. He used his cellphone to record a video where he chanted, “Whose House?” Schmidt then turned towards the USCP officers guarding the West Plaza and said, “We’re right here (pointing at the ground). Whose platform? Our platform!”

            Court documents say that between 1:00 and 2:45 p.m., the mob on the West Plaza became more and more confrontational with the line of USCP officers. During this time, Schmidt again confronted the officers and, on several occasions, obstructed, impeded, and interfered with the USCP officers. Specifically, he pushed backward against police officers and their riot shields on the West Plaza and threw an object at the police line.

            Following his confrontation with police, Schmidt made his way to the Upper West Plaza and, at about 2:45 p.m., entered the Capitol building via the Upper West Terrace Doors with his fist raised in the air as fire alarms from the doors were loudly ringing. Over the next two minutes, Schmidt traveled into the Rotunda, and entered Statuary Hall. At approximately 2:51 p.m., Schmidt exited the Capitol via the East Foyer Doors. He later reentered the building through the same doors at approximately 3:15 p.m.

            Schmidt remained in the East Foyer until he was forced out of the Capitol by officers at approximately 3:30 p.m. Schmidt remained on Capitol grounds, circling from the East Foyer to the West Plaza until the early evening of January 6th.

            The FBI arrested Schmidt on July 28, 2023, in Ohio.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio provided valuable assistance.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Cincinnati and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Law Enforcement During the January 6 Capitol Breach

Source: US FBI

         WASHINGTON – An Ohio man was sentenced to prison on Oct. 31, 2024, after he previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

         Kyle Andrew Campbell, 31, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to four months in prison, four months of home confinement, 36 months of supervised release, and $2,000 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss. Campbell previously pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain offices on July 1, 2024.

         According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Campbell and a companion traveled to Washington, D.C., from Columbus, Ohio, to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse; however, the two quickly changed direction and joined a large crowd walking toward the U.S. Capitol building. Court documents say that Campbell trampled over fencing erected by U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) as part of the restricted perimeter around the Capitol and made his way toward the southern area of the West Plaza.

         Here, Campbell stood in front of a mob of rioters and was face-to-face with lines of USCP officers attempting to protect the Capitol. Campbell was then pushed from behind into an officer carrying a riot shield, who then pushed back with the shield. At that point, under his own power, Campbell forcibly rushed the officer and hit the officer and his shield several times before retreating back into the crowd.

         Campbell continued to remain on the West Plaza area for at least another hour and eventually made his way to the Upper West Terrace, where he continued to remain despite knowing that the area was not open to the public.

         The FBI arrested Campbell on Dec. 11, 2023.

         The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio provided valuable assistance.

         The FBI’s Cincinnati and Washington Field Offices investigated this case. Campbell was identified as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #521 on the FBI’s seeking information photographs.  Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

         In the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

         Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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Lending a Hand in Lahaina

Source: US FBI

The morgue had multiple stations for fingerprints, DNA processing by a private company, and dental collection. Because some remains were co-mingled, anthropologists from universities also responded. ERT members and Johnson were also joined at the morgue by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office’s Rapid Deployment Team to provide security there and at the Family Assistance Center.

Victim specialists Miranda Adkins and Veronica Cordova from the FBI’s Honolulu Division brought their crisis expertise to support grieving families at shelters and the Family Assistance Center, a one-stop shop offering hot meals and information about housing, medical, and financial services.

Their initial job was to provide “culturally sensitive crisis intervention and emotional support to families,” said Adkins, a licensed clinical social worker. Hawaii has a diverse population that includes many cultures. The victim specialists comforted bereft relatives as they completed extensive paperwork about the unaccounted for and gave DNA swabs.

“We worked closely with other local agencies. This was definitely a team effort,” said Cordova. “Maui is dear to me. I often stayed in Lahaina, so making the drive to see what was left was heart-wrenching.”

By August 18, some DNA matches of the deceased had been returned, and it was time to make next-of-kin death notifications. Many of the families the FBI visited for the notifications had previously met Adkins and Cordova at the Family Assistance Center. This familiarity helped when it came time to deliver grim news.  

They traveled to relatives’ homes with an officer from Maui PD or Honolulu PD and chaplains to provide “wraparound support,” said Adkins. “We wanted the next of kin to feel they were emotionally supported with a team approach through such a difficult situation.”

Victim specialists assist with death notifications through planning, preparation, delivery, and follow-up with compassionate and direct communication. As part of the follow-up process, Adkins and Cordova shared mental health resources, and the FBI’s support to these families continues.

Help is still needed to identify unaccounted for individuals who may have been impacted by the wildfires.

Maui PD has released the names of those still unaccounted for and has asked the public to assist in information related to the unaccounted for individuals.

The FBI has stood up a seeking information questionnaire. Please complete this form if:

  • You have information about a listed unaccounted for person.
  • You are related to an unaccounted for person and would like to provide a DNA sample.
  • You would like to report a person who is still unaccounted for and could be a potential victim of the wildfires but is not yet listed.

Additionally, if you are aware of anyone who is still unaccounted for, whether they are on the published list or not, please contact Maui PD at (808) 244-6400 or email unaccounted@mpd.net to complete a missing persons report.

If you are an immediate family member (parent, sibling, or child) of an individual you believe is still unaccounted for, live on Maui, and want to provide a DNA sample to assist with the identification process, please call 808-270-7771.

If you live outside of Maui and would like to submit a DNA sample, please complete the questionnaire or contact the FBI at 808-566-4300 and you will receive instructions on how you may provide your DNA in this effort. 

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Perry County Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Soliciting Pornography From Hundreds of Minors While Pretending to be Teen Girl on Snapchat

Source: US FBI

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Junction City, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court in Columbus today to 276 months in prison for sexually exploiting minors and possessing child pornography.

Since 2018, Clay Thomas Wolfe, 28, solicited child pornography from more than 300 victims via the mobile application Snapchat. Approximately 100 exploitation victims who provided sexual content to Wolfe have been identified by law enforcement as minors thus far from across multiple states including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

Wolfe pretended on Snapchat to be a 15-year-old female named “Ally” who lived in Ohio and used this persona to solicit child pornography from primarily middle school and high school aged boys. Wolfe’s Snapchat account also contained sexually explicit photographs and videos of minor males as young as 10 and 11 years old.

The investigation was initiated in April 2022, when law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania learned that a sixth-grade student was sharing a nude photograph of a classmate that he had received from Wolfe while Wolfe was pretending to be “Ally.”

As part of his online persona, Wolfe sent the male victims photos and videos of pubescent female’s naked breasts and genitalia that he found on adult pornography sites or public social media accounts.   He would use that content to entice the minors he chatted with to send content of their own including image and video files of primarily minor males, some as young as twelve-years-old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct such as bestiality, masturbation, and sexual acts including oral and anal penetration.  Wolfe would also extort the victims by threatening to send the nude images of his victims to their friends and family unless they sent him additional images.

In total, Wolfe received approximately 850 images and 570 videos depicting child pornography.

Wolfe was arrested and charged federally in June 2023 and pleaded guilty in April 2024.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge Iatarola commended the cooperation of the Perry County Sheriff’s Office and Perry County Prosecutor. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch and are representing the United States in this case.

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Founder of Iranian Company Arrested for Providing Material Support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and for Scheme to Procure Sensitive U.S. Technology for Use in IRGC Military Drones, One of Which Killed Three U.S. Service Members

Source: US FBI

Founder of Iranian Company and his Co-Defendant, an Employee of a U.S. Microelectronics Manufacturer, Also Charged with Violating Export Control Laws in Conspiracy to Procure Sensitive U.S. Technology for Use in IRGC Military Drones

Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, 42, a dual U.S.-Iranian national of Natick, Massachusetts, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, also known as Mohammad Abedini (Abedini), 38, of Tehran, Iran, have been charged with conspiring to export sophisticated electronic components from the United States to Iran in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws. Abedini is also charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), that resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members who were killed by a one-way attack Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), also known as a drone, on a military base in Jordan.

Sadeghi was arrested and made his initial appearance today in the District of Massachusetts. Abedini was also arrested today in Italy by Italian authorities at the request of the United States.

“Today, the Justice Department has charged, and our foreign partners have taken into custody, Mohammad Abedini, who we allege supplied sensitive technology used by the Iranian military to kill three American servicemembers in Jordan earlier this year,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In addition, we have charged and arrested Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, for conspiring with Abedini to export sensitive U.S. technology to Iran. Today’s arrests demonstrate that the Justice Department will hold accountable those who enable the Iranian regime to continue to target and kill Americans and undermine the national security of the United States.”

“Earlier this year, Iran-backed militias murdered three American soldiers and wounded dozens more in a brutal drone attack at the Tower 22 base in Jordan,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today, working with our partners here and abroad, we have charged and arrested two men who conspired to evade U.S. sanctions and supply the Iranian government with the type of drone navigation technology used in that attack. Our message is unmistakable: if you provide support to the Iranian regime’s campaign of terror and violence targeting Americans – we will find you, arrest you, and hold you accountable in a U.S. court, no matter where you are.”

“This case reflects our commitment to pursuing those who unlawfully aid Iran’s military drone program and to seeking justice for the U.S. servicemembers killed at the hands of the IRGC-backed militants earlier this year,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Export laws exist to keep cutting-edge U.S. technology out of the hands of foreign terrorist organizations. When sensitive drone technology is supplied to the IRGC – as alleged in this case – it places our military at risk and imperils American citizens.”

“These defendants are charged with supplying sensitive technology to an Iranian company that develops technology the IRGC uses in its one-way attack drones to commit acts of terror around the world,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “Export crimes are much more than just regulatory violations – they enable our adversaries to engage in numerous malign activities harmful to U.S. interests, including the sowing of terror worldwide.”

“The FBI will continue to aggressively use all of our authorities to investigate and arrest anyone who assists the Government of Iran in obtaining technology that can be used for deadly purposes,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “These perpetrators allegedly facilitated the transfer of electronic components to an Iranian company which one of them owned.  According to the charges, the company owner then supplied the IRGC with drone technology that was used in various terrorist acts, including an attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan which killed three servicemembers and injured dozens more. Such acts are wholly unacceptable, and the FBI will work tirelessly with our partners to cut off illegal transfers of technology to foreign terrorists and other adversaries.”

“Holding culpable people accountable for the death and maiming of U.S. service men and women bravely serving our nation abroad is about as important a prosecution as there is. These allegations make clear the grievous harm that can result when highly sophisticated American technologies subject to export controls end up in the hands of our adversaries,” said U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “These criminal charges are the direct product of the dogged work of the FBI and the Department of Commerce, in close collaboration with DOJ lawyers, as part of the Disruptive Technologies Task Force launched in February 2023, and I commend their outstanding work.”

According to court documents, Abedini is the founder and managing director of an Iranian company, San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co. (SDRA or SADRA), that manufactures navigation modules used in the IRGC’s military drone program. SDRA’s main business is the sale of a proprietary navigation system — known as the Sepehr Navigation System — to the IRGC, which the United States designated as an FTO on April 15, 2019. The primary application of SDRA’s Sepehr Navigation System is for use in UAVs, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles. Sadeghi is currently employed by a Massachusetts-based microelectronics manufacturer (U.S. Company 1) and was one of the founders of a Massachusetts-based technology company (U.S. Company 2) that specializes in wearable sensors that provide kinetic monitoring for fitness applications.

As alleged in court documents, Abedini, Sadeghi, and others conspired to evade U.S. export control and sanctions laws by procuring U.S. origin goods, services, and technology from, among others, U.S. Company 1 and causing those goods, services, and technology to be exported or otherwise supplied to Iran and, in particular, Abedini’s Iranian company, SDRA.

As further alleged, in or around 2016, Sadeghi traveled to Iran to request funding for U.S. Company 2 from the Iranian National Elites Foundation (INEF), which is an Iranian governmental organization whose main purpose is to recognize, organize, and support Iran’s elite national talents. In exchange for funding for U.S. Company 2, which Sadeghi’s company ultimately received from the INEF, Sadeghi and others created a second company in Iran (Iranian Company 1). Shortly after forming Iranian Company 1, Sadeghi, through Iranian Company 1, entered into a contract with SDRA for the purchase of SDRA’s technology. It is also alleged that, since in or around 2016, on multiple occasions, Sadeghi has helped Abedini procure U.S. export-controlled electronic components for Abedini’s use in Iran.

Due to U.S. laws restricting exports to Iran, Abedini established a Switzerland front company for SDRA, Illumove SA (Illumove). With Sadeghi’s assistance, Abedini, through Illumove, entered into a contract with U.S. Company 1 to develop a mechanism to evaluate U.S. Company 1’s electronic components, including sophisticated semiconductors. Sadeghi and Abedini subsequently caused U.S.-origin goods, services, and technology to be transferred to Iran, through Illumove, for the benefit of SDRA. Certain of the electronic components that Abedini obtained through Illumove were the same types of electronic components used in SDRA’s Sepehr Navigation System.

Abedini is also charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the IRGC, specifically, the IRGC Aerospace Force, which is the strategic missile, air, and space force within the IRGC. Since at least in or about 2014, SDRA has had multiple projects with the IRGC Aerospace Force, including projects for guided rockets and integrated navigation systems. As alleged, between 2021 and 2022, approximately 99% of SDRA’s sales of the Sepehr Navigation System, which are used in IRGC one-way attack drones, were to the IRGC’s Aerospace Force.

On Jan. 28, three U.S. service members were killed, and more than forty others were injured, in a drone attack by IRGC-backed militants on a military base located in northern Jordan, known as Tower 22. According to court documents, FBI analysis of the drone that was recovered from the site of the attack showed that the drone was an Iranian Shahed UAV and that the navigation system used in the drone was the Sepehr Navigation System, which was manufactured by Abedini’s company, SDRA.   

Sadeghi and Abedini were charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economics Powers Act, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, three years supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Abedini was also charged with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization, resulting in death, and one count of provision and attempted provision of material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization, resulting in death, which carries a penalty of up to life in prison, lifetime supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and BIS are investigating the case.

U.S. Attorneys Jared Dolan and Alathea Porter for the District of Massachusetts, Trial Attorney Christina Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorneys Katie Sweeten and David Smith of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing assistance and is seeking extradition of Abedini from Italy.

​This prosecution is being coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. Government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws. 

A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.