A former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor was indicted Friday for performing as an unlawful agent for the Iranian authorities, the Division of Justice stated.
In accordance to a DOJ launch, from no less than December 2017 by means of June 2024, 42-year-old Abouzar Rahmati allegedly met with Iranian authorities officers and acted on their behalf.
Rahmati, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Nice Falls, Virginia, beforehand was an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) 1st Lt., a department of the Iranian Armed Forces, from June 2009 to Could 2010. The IRGC is a delegated terrorist group by the U.S. authorities.
After being discharged from the IRGC, the indictment alleges that Rahmati lied to the U.S. authorities concerning his army service with the IRGC as a way to acquire employment as a U.S. contractor.
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Abouzar Rahmati has been indicted for performing as an agent of the Iranian authorities. (U.S. Division of Justice)
In Aug. 2017, prosecutors allege that Rahmati started speaking with a senior Iranian authorities official with whom he had beforehand attended faculty.
4 months later, Rahmati traveled to Iran and met with intelligence operatives. In the course of the conferences, he agreed to acquire and supply them with data on the U.S. photo voltaic vitality business.
Following the preliminary conferences, Rahmati set to work as a spy for the Iranian authorities. Prosecutors stated that he ultimately grew to become a contractor for FAA’s Nationwide Airspace System (NAS), which allowed him to be aware of delicate data.
Authorities alleged that in April 2022, Rahmati downloaded personal paperwork associated to the FAA and the NAS energy and electrical structure and handed them alongside to Iran’s authorities.
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He additionally gave the Authorities of Iran further data referring to photo voltaic vitality, photo voltaic panels, the FAA, U.S. airports, and U.S. air site visitors management.
A Federal Aviation Administration signal hangs within the tower at John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport, March 16, 2017, in New York. (AP Picture/Seth Wenig, File)
“As alleged, the defendant conspired with Iranian officers and intelligence operatives, even mendacity to acquire employment as a U.S. authorities contractor solely to then share delicate authorities supplies with Iran,” Assistant Lawyer Common Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Division’s Nationwide Safety Division stated. “When undisclosed brokers of Iran or another overseas authorities search to infiltrate American corporations or authorities companies, the Justice Division will use each accessible device to determine them and produce them to justice.”
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Rahmani made his preliminary look within the District of Columbia on Friday afternoon.
