Los Angeles County man arrested for allegedly violating sanctions against Iran

A federal grand jury indicted a man on Tuesday for allegedly sending about $2.4 million of gift cards, an act that violates the sanctions U.S. officials levied against Iran. 

"Restrictions on exports and transactions with countries that are hostile to the United States, such as Iran, are critical to protecting our nation," United States Attorney Martin Estrada said.   

Federal agents from the FBI and Homeland Security arrested Kambiz Eghbali, 50, after the grand jury charged him with violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 

Eghbali, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Iran, faces a maximum sentence of 70 years in federal prison. If convicted, Eghbali would be forced to forfeit all property obtained due to the alleged crimes.

"Nothing is more important than protecting our country from foreign threats," Estrada said. 

The grand jury also charged two Iranian nationals, Hamid Hajipour and Babak Bahizad, for their alleged involvement. 

Eghbali and others conspired to send digital and physical gift cards to Iran from March 2014 to September 2019, according to the indictment. Eghbali allegedly used his North Hills-based company in the scheme to send the cards to Bahizad and Hajipour. 

The pair allegedly used the cards to benefit Bahizad's Iran-based gaming company and Hajipour's mobile software application service company, according to the Department of Justice. 

They would then pay Eghbali for the cards by transferring money through third parties to avoid U.S. regulators. 

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations bar any transactions with Americans and Iran-based companies in the name of national security. Anyone wishing to export to Iran must get permission from the Treasury Department.