Involved in a conspiracy to illegally export U.S.-origin carbon fiber with missile, aerospace, and nuclear applications to Iran.

Charged on December 5, 2012, along with Turkish national Murat Taskiran, with one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and two counts of violating the IEEPA; pleaded guilty on November 19, 2013 to all three counts; sentenced to 46 months in prison.

The head of HB Composites, a Tehran-based company that was involved in the purchase of carbon fiber; conspired with Taskiran to arrange the export of carbon fiber from the United States to Europe, and then, using a European freight forwarder, arranged for its transshipment to HB Composites; business partner Ali Reza Shokri was also involved in the conspiracy and worked to export shipments of carbon fiber in cooperation with Behzad Pourghannad (financial guarantor) and Farzin Faridmanesh (transshipper).

In 2008, arranged for the shipment of carbon fiber from the United States to Iran, via Dubai; in 2009, attempted to ship carbon fiber to Iran via the United Kingdom, but the cargo was seized by U.K. authorities; in 2012, attempted to purchase a carbon fiber winding machine from the United States.

Conducted business with Sepanir, which is controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); solicited by the Iranian government to procure materials for centrifuge rotors with nuclear applications; supplied pipes to petrochemical and oil companies controlled by the Iranian government; in 2008, was asked by Shahid Hemat Industrial Group (SHIG) to procure pre-impregnated carbon fiber.

While in prison in 2015, used email and telephone systems to continue illicit operations involving HB Composites.

Studied chemical engineering at Ohio State University and the University of Dayton and holds a Ph.D. in polymer engineering from the University of Akron; founder and member of the Iran Composites Society.

A dual U.S. and Iranian national; born in 1960.