Los Angeles (AP) — Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old woman, was arrested Saturday night at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly aiding Iran in trafficking weapons to Sudan, which has been embroiled in a brutal civil war for four years. Federal prosecutors claim that Mafi brokered the sale of various military supplies, including drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition, facilitating a critical flow of arms to the Sudanese Armed Forces, according to U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli.
The criminal complaint states that Mafi and an unnamed accomplice ran a company named Atlas International Business in Oman, which the duo allegedly used to conduct these arms transactions. Reports indicate that the firm received over $7 million in payments as recent as 2025. Furthermore, the complaint details an arrangement in which Mafi submitted intent to purchase 55,000 bomb fuses for the Sudanese Ministry of Defense, a serious allegation given the humanitarian crisis impacting millions in Sudan.
Mafi, who became a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. in 2016, is currently awaiting her first court appearance. If found guilty, she faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The situation underscores the dire conditions in Sudan, a country grappling with a humanitarian crisis due to dwindling food supplies and massive displacement of its population amidst ongoing conflict.
The criminal complaint states that Mafi and an unnamed accomplice ran a company named Atlas International Business in Oman, which the duo allegedly used to conduct these arms transactions. Reports indicate that the firm received over $7 million in payments as recent as 2025. Furthermore, the complaint details an arrangement in which Mafi submitted intent to purchase 55,000 bomb fuses for the Sudanese Ministry of Defense, a serious allegation given the humanitarian crisis impacting millions in Sudan.
Mafi, who became a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. in 2016, is currently awaiting her first court appearance. If found guilty, she faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The situation underscores the dire conditions in Sudan, a country grappling with a humanitarian crisis due to dwindling food supplies and massive displacement of its population amidst ongoing conflict.
