A Woodland Hills woman charged with trafficking arms on behalf of the Iranian government was ordered Thursday to remain in federal custody pending trial.
Shamim Mafi, 44, is accused of plotting to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by brokering the sale of Iranian-made weapons — drones, bombs and millions of rounds of ammunition — to Sudan’s military.
An Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016, Mafi could face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted, officials said.
She was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday while attempting to board a flight to Turkey, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
At the conclusion of a detention hearing Thursday, a federal magistrate judge ruled that she should remain in custody pending trial in Los Angeles federal court. An arraignment date of May 8 was scheduled.
“This individual came from Iran and gained legal status under the Obama administration,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “While enjoying a life in the United States, this woman was allegedly breaking the law by brokering lethal weapons deals with Iranian adversaries.
“This will not stand, and anyone who breaks our laws and threatens national security will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
An attorney for Mafi could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Mafi schemed to broker the sale of weapons, weapons components and ammunition on behalf of the government of Iran in violation of U.S. law.
She owns and operates an Oman-based company, Atlas International Business LLC, which also is known as Atlas Global Holding and Atlas Tech LLC, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated. In early 2025, Mafi allegedly brokered weapons deals on Iran’s behalf through her company.
Prosecutors contend she facilitated a contract worth more than $70 million for the sale of the Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone from Iran’s defense ministry to Sudan’s military. She also coordinated the Sudanese delegation’s travel to Iran and was paid more than $7 million, U.S. officials allege.
Federal prosecutors further allege Mafi brokered the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan and submitted a letter of intent to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to purchase the fuses for Sudan. Mafi also allegedly brokered the sale of millions of rounds of ammunition from Iran to Sudan.
The IEEPA imposes controls and places restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism, according to the 1977 act.
At no time did Mafi apply for or obtain the required licenses from the U.S. Treasury Department to engage in any transactions alleged in the affidavit, officials said. She also never registered with or applied for approval from the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to engage in brokering activities with respect to U.S. or foreign defense articles, prosecutors said.
Records obtained pursuant to a search warrant show nearly 62 bidirectional contacts between Mafi and an Iranian intelligence officer’s phone numbers between December 2022 and June 2025, according to prosecutors in the Central District.