Arrested on November 17, 2008, in connection with an indictment targeting him along with his alleged co-conspirator, Mir Hossein Ghaemi, for crimes relating to their alleged participation in illegal business transactions with Iran between 2002 and 2008; charges include one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), three substantive counts of violating IEEPA, attempting to procure U.S. citizenship by fraud, and possessing immigration documents procured by fraud.

Conducted business, along with Ghaemi, as Pennsylvania-based Saamen Company, LLC, an import-export business also known as Saaman, Inc. and Saaman, and co-owned by Dubai-based Hamid Saderadni; through Saamen, allegedly conspired to export goods, technology, and services, including computing equipment, ultrasonic liquid processors, fuel cell technology, electrical equipment, sophisticated laboratory and medical equipment, hydrophones, automobile parts, and centrifuges, from the United States, through the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for ultimate delivery to Iran without required licenses from the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and in violation of U. S. law; ultimate recipients allegedly included the Pasteur Institute of Iran and Tarbiat Modarres University in Tehran. 

Citizen of the Islamic Republic of Iran; in November 1998, became a lawful permanent resident of the United States; born September 17, 1967; SSAN 181-78-6346, PA driver's license # 26984796, Alien Number 075558525 exp. 01/12/2009, Iranian passport #0002465.