A Chinese energy company, its U.S. affiliate and a Chinese national were charged with conspiracy to steal technology and trade secrets from a U.S. company, the Justice Department said Oct. 29. The agency said China-based Jason Energy Technologies (JET), U.S.-based Jason Oil and Gas Equipment and Chinese national Lei Gao worked with Robert Erford of Dayton, Texas, to steal the technology from a Houston oil and gas manufacturer.
A Taiwanese chipmaker pleaded guilty and was fined $60 million for conspiring to steal trade secrets from a U.S. semiconductor company, the Justice Department said Oct. 28. Taiwan-based United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) allegedly tried to steal intellectual property from U.S.-based Micron Technology to benefit Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit, a Chinese state-owned company. The $60 million fine was the “second largest ever” in a U.S. criminal trade secret prosecution, the Justice Department said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security revoked export privileges for two Orlando, Florida, residents after they illegally exported firearms and ammunition from the U.S. to Haiti, BIS said in Oct. 26 orders. BIS said Junior Joel Joseph was convicted April 12, 2019, of violating the Arms Export Control Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act when he conspired to export AR-15 rifles, Glock semi-automatic pistols, shotguns and ammunition to Haiti without the required licenses. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison, with three years of supervised release and a $500 fine. Jimy Joseph was convicted May 22, 2019, of conspiring to illegally export AR-15 rifles, Glock semi-automatic pistols and ammunition and was sentenced to 16 months in prison, three years of supervised release and a $200 fine. BIS revoked each man's export privileges for seven years from the date of his conviction.
The Justice Department seized two websites being illegally used by a U.S.-sanctioned foreign terrorist group, it said Oct. 21. The Iran-backed Kata’ib Hizballah operated the websites, Aletejahtv.com and kataibhezbollah.com, as a “media arm,” Justice said. The group used the websites to publish videos, articles and photos to further its agenda, which includes “destabilizing Iraq and recruiting others to join their cause.”
Ten people were charged for their alleged involvement in a $50 million Russian smuggling scheme, which included illegally exported electronics and violations of export filing requirements, the Justice Department said Oct. 19. The U.S. arrested eight people -- Akmal Asadov, Sayuz Daibagya, Anton Perevoznikov, Shohruh Saidov, Marat Shadkhin, Kirill Sokhonchuk, Zokir Iskanderov and Azamat Bobomurodov -- while two others remain at large.
The CEO of a sanctions-evading financial services company in Iran was sentenced to 23 months in prison for violating U.S. sanctions, the Justice Department said Oct. 15. Seyed Sajjad Shahidian, CEO of Payment24, helped Iranians conduct illegal transactions with businesses in the U.S., which included illegal exports of computer software, software licenses and computer servers. Shahidian was charged in May along with Payment24 Chief Operating Officer Vahid Vali for violating U.S. sanctions (see 2005190022). Shahidian pleaded guilty in June (see 2006170005).
An Illinois businessman and a Ukrainian resident were charged with illegally exporting gun parts and other defense items to Ukraine, the Department of Justice said in an Oct. 9 press release. Glenn Stepul worked with Ukrainian resident Andriy Yakin to export pistol slides and stainless steel gun barrels without the required State Department license, which violated the Arms Export Control Act, DOJ said. The two people also worked with an unnamed third person in Ukraine to export rifle scopes and night vision cameras without required licenses from the Commerce Department. Stepul hid the export-controlled items inside shipments of drilling equipment and falsely declared them as household goods, cosmetics, toys, stationary and cassettes, the charges say. Stepul pleaded not guilty to the charges on Oct. 8. Yakin is believed to be living in Ukraine, DOJ said, and the U.S. has issued a warrant for his arrest.
The U.S. seized 92 domain names used by Iran’s sanctioned Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to spread online propaganda, the Department of Justice said in an Oct. 7 news release. IRGC violated U.S. sanctions by using website and domain services in the U.S. without the required license from the Treasury Department, DOJ said. Use of the domains also violated the International Emergency Economic Powers Act because the domains were operated by U.S. companies, which were not authorized to provide services to Iran.
A Morristown, New Jersey, woman was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to her role in a scheme to illegally smuggle millions of dollars worth of aircraft parts to Iran (see 1906110057), the Justice Department said Oct. 6. Joyce Eliabachus was charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act after she helped smuggle more than $2 million worth of aircraft components using freight forwarding companies in the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Eliabachus used her Edsun Equipments LLC, run from her home, to buy the aircraft components from U.S. distributors before repackaging them and shipping them to the freight forwarders, the Justice Department said. Eliabachus also falsified the components' destination, end-users and value to avoid filing “export control forms.”
A group of human rights lawyers and law professors sued the Trump administration over its sanctions against the International Criminal Court, saying the measures violate freedom of speech laws and the U.S. Constitution. The group said the sanctions (see 2009300003) -- which the administration said are designed to target ICC officials for “harassment” and “abuse” of U.S. government officials (see 2006110028) -- will affect worldwide support for international justice.