₦airaland Forum

Glamorous Iranian woman living high life in Los Angeles is arrested for 'trafficking deadly drones and bombs for Tehran'

A glamorous Iranian woman living a lavish life in Los Angeles was arrested for allegedly trafficking deadly drones and bombs for Tehran.

Shamim Mafi, 44, was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night and charged with allegedly brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition to be sold to Sudan, the US Attorney for the Central District of California said on Sunday.

Mafi left Iran in 2013 and became a permanent US resident in 2016 under the Obama administration, officials stated.

The Woodland Hills resident allegedly used Atlas International Business, an Oman-registered company, to broker weapons deals as recently as 2025, according to court records obtained by the New York Post.

One of her sales included a contract for more than $70 million for Mohajer-6 armed drones made by Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.

Those drones and 55,000 bomb fuses were transferred in deals with the Sudanese Ministry of Defense, which has been fighting in a violent civil war since 2023.

According to phone records included in court documents, Mafi had direct contact with Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) between December 2022 and June 2025.

During her time in America, Mafi has shared pictures of her living the high life, including an image of her posing in a $100,000 Mercedes-Benz.

She told investigators that she has never been hired by Iran to conduct any activities for Tehran on American soil.

Meanwhile, prosecutors said Mafi had no legal clearance to oversee the alleged dangerous weapon sales.

A previous investigation revealed that Tehran seized properties that Mafi inherited from her father in 2020, according to court records.

The Ministry of Intelligence then told her to open a business in the US to buy the properties back from the Iranian government, court records stated.

According to prosecutors, Iran also offered to pay for her start-up costs.

Mafi allegedly said that she is 'more useful' to the Iranian spies in Tehran than in the US, prosecutors said.

falopey:
She’s living a good life not wearing burka in America yet want women in Iran to continue wearing burka. Hypocrisy of the highest level.

We should title this, “ back to burka”. She should wear her burka in peace once deported

OLAADEGBU:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15746503/iranian-woman-arrested-los-angeles-california-drones-bombs-tehran.html?ito=social-facebook

OLAADEGBU:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15746503/iranian-woman-arrested-los-angeles-california-drones-bombs-tehran.html?ito=social-facebook

Flangelo12:
Lots of women in Iran do not wear Burqa or Hijab.

Flangelo12:
The glamorous woman in the image is Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian national and permanent US resident who was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Saturday night, April 18, 2026.

Federal authorities have charged Mafi with brokering the sale of Iranian-made military equipment, including drones, bombs, and millions of rounds of ammunition.


Key Details of the Allegations
Target of Sales: Mafi is accused of brokering arms deals with the Sudanese Ministry of Defense, which is currently involved in a violent civil war.

Types of Weapons: The transactions allegedly included Mohajer-6 armed drones, 55,000 bomb fuses, and large quantities of ammunition.

The Business: Investigators claim she used an Oman-registered company, Atlas International Business, to facilitate these deals as recently as 2025.

Tehran Connection: Phone records suggest she was in direct contact with Iran's Ministry of Intelligence between 2022 and 2025.

Potential Sentence: If convicted, she faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.

Mafi, a resident of Woodland Hills, had lived a high-profile life in Los Angeles, often posting photos of her lavish lifestyle on social media. She was scheduled to fly to Istanbul when she was intercepted by federal agents. Her initial court appearance is expected on Monday, April 20, 2026.

OLAADEGBU:
BREAKING...

Author

New York Post

Read more: https://trib.al/zfY1o2r

Heffalump:
Why can't her stay back in Tehran and live her lavish life style there.
This is the reason why Donald Trump is carrying out tough measures on immigration. The enemies of America, both inside and outside are so much. Being a clever chap, the first thing he did was to put the immigration under his tight control to avoid stories that touch.

I hope the useless Democrats will destroy his wonderful legacy after his tenure as president .

Flangelo12:
Lots of women in Iran do not wear Burqa or Hijab.

Ewedegubbler:
Obama brought in a lot of America hating jihadists into USA Ànd gave them permanent residences.

Obama was a hit job on the USA

Freedom4us:
SEE HYPOCRISY OF THE RELIGION OF PEACE.

They expect women in Iran to wear hijabs but come to the west to dress normal.

Peperipepe:
I am tired of nairaland. I want to torment people from Se. It is my calling. I am only happy when I am abusing them. I have no peace when I cannot abuse those from Se. This pain must end.