Create a free Manufacturing.net account to continue

2 Plead Guilty In Plot To Ship Aircraft To Iran

An Iranian national and a U.S. citizen who worked as an airline pilot have pleaded guilty in a plot aimed at illegally shipping aircraft and parts to Iran for civilian use. Federal authorities say both men face up to 40 years in prison and fines of $500,000 following their guilty pleas to a two-count indictment unsealed before their hearing Monday in federal court in Louisville, Ky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- An Iranian national and a U.S. citizen who worked as an airline pilot have pleaded guilty in a plot aimed at illegally shipping aircraft and parts to Iran for civilian use.

Federal authorities say both men face up to 40 years in prison and fines of $500,000 following their guilty pleas to a two-count indictment unsealed before their hearing Monday in federal court in Louisville, Ky.

The defendants are identified as Hamid Asefi, a 68-year-old Iranian citizen, and 53-year-old Behzad "Tony" Karimian, a U.S. citizen living in Louisville who holds an Iranian passport and has worked as a Mesaba Airlines pilot.

The indictment says the two violated an embargo against Iran by plotting to ship the parts and aircraft from the U.S. to Iran in 2009 and 2010.

More in Aerospace