Today in federal court, Massoud Habibion admitted conspiring with a company in Tehran to export computers through Dubai to Iran without obtaining licenses from the U.S. government. Habibion also admitted selling $4.9 million in computer-related shipments to a company in Dubai, knowing that most of the exports were destined for Iran.
Habibion was the owner of Online Micro LLC in Costa Mesa, California, along with one Mohsen Motamedian. Motamedian also pled guilty to obstruction of justice, telling a government witness to lie about the illegal exports.
Both men are U.S. citizens, and the feds prosecuted them for illegal shipments going on since May 2007.
Motamedian could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison; Habibion faces up to five years.
Some points to consider about the above AP story....the illegal shipments were done via Dubai, supposedly a U.S. 'ally', and a place where a number of prominent U.S. politicians have substantial connections. Is the company in Dubai being sanctioned or punished in any way?
How valuable are the sanctions anyway if they can be breached this easily, for years at a time?
And finally,why aren't these two men having their citizenship revoked and being deported?
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