An indictment was unsealed Monday charging Syria national Mohamad Deiry and Lebanese national Samer Rayya, both principals of an Iraq-based arms company, Black Shield Ltd., with conspiring to export munitions from the United States to Sudan and Iraq without the necessary licenses and approvals, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act.
Deiry and Rayya were also charged with conspiring to commit money laundering in furtherance of their illicit procurement activities.
Both Rayya and Deiry remain at large and wanted by the FBI. The defendants have ties to or may visit Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, Russia, Belarus, Sudan and Libya.
“These defendants allegedly ran an international arm trafficking ring and conspired to unlawfully export anti-aircraft ammunition and other military arms and munitions from the United States to Sudan and Iraq, promoting violence and putting Americans and our allies at risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “These charges exemplify the Justice Department’s commitment to investigating and holding accountable those who defy our U.S. export controls.”
According to the indictment, between April and November 2016, Deiry, Rayya and others conspired to export munitions, including 23-millimeter antiaircraft ammunition, Bushmaster 40mm Grenade Launchers, FN SCAR-L CQC (5.56x45mm) assault rifles, FN SCAR-H CQC (7.62x51mm) assault rifles, FNH 5.7x28mm green tip ammunition, and HK MR762A1 LRP ii (7.62x51mm) assault rifles, from the United States to Sudan and Iraq without first obtaining the required licenses or approvals from DDTC.
Specifically, the co-conspirators attempted to illegally acquire the munitions from the United States in a deal worth $1.2 million, which was part of a larger scheme to acquire $4 million worth of 23-millimeter ammunition illegally.
The conspiracy involved the transshipment of the munitions from the United States to Guatemala and from Guatemala to false end-users in Cyprus before ultimately arriving in Sudan and Iraq.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Black Shield wired a downpayment of $100,000 from a front company located in Benin, West Africa.
The conspiracy involved both Black Shield emissaries from India and Belarus, who traveled to the United States to inspect the munitions and Israeli American and Israeli-Romanian-Uzbeki brokers, who acted as middlemen between the supplier and end-users.
Deiry and Rayya are charged with conspiracy to unlawfully export defense articles from the United States and conspiracy to engage in international money laundering.
If found guilty of the crimes, both Deiry and carry a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison.
Deiry and Rayya are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hummel for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case.