Mafi allegedly brokered contracts worth millions of dollars for Iranian-made military equipment to be sold to Sudan's Ministry of Defense. One contract involved $70 million for Iranian-made Mojajer-6 armed drones, while another deal included approximately 55,000 bomb fuses, according to U.S. authorities. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated 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.
To evade detection, Mafi allegedly used her company, Atlas International Business, to broker the deals through channels in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. She also reportedly utilized an Oman-registered company for this purpose, according to U.S. authorities. These methods were part of a broader effort to circumvent U.S. sanctions and export controls.
Mafi's background includes becoming a U.S. permanent resident in 2016 after leaving Iran in 2013, and she frequently travels to Iran, Turkey, and Oman, according to multiple reports. Phone records show she had direct contact with Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security between December 2022 and June 2025, according to major media sources. According to major media, Mafi lived in Istanbul, Turkey, from 2013 to 2016, and her first husband was an officer for Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
Despite these allegations, Mafi has denied any involvement with Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security and denied being directed to conduct business on behalf of Tehran. Her defense is expected to challenge the charges in court, though the specific legal arguments remain unclear.
If convicted, Mafi faces up to 20 years in federal prison, with her first court appearance scheduled for Monday afternoon in Los Angeles, according to multiple reports. The case highlights ongoing U.S. efforts to enforce sanctions against Iran, particularly in the context of regional conflicts.
Key unknowns in the investigation include the identity and role of Mafi's unnamed co-conspirator mentioned in the criminal complaint, as well as what specific evidence, beyond phone records, links her directly to brokering arms deals for Iran. It is also unclear how U.S. authorities first became aware of Mafi's alleged activities and what triggered the investigation. The current status of the arms deals Mafi allegedly brokered—whether any shipments were completed or intercepted—has not been confirmed. These gaps may influence the legal proceedings as the case develops.