Arash Einolghozati, 37, of Waialua, Oahu, pled guilty on July 13 in federal court to transferring funds from the United States to Iran without a license, violating U.S. sanctions, according to an announcement by United States Attorney Ken Sorenson on July 15. Sentencing is scheduled for October 29.
According to court records, Einolghozati began making money transfers as early as March 2017 and continued until at least April 2022. He sent both government-issued currency and cryptocurrency from within the United States either directly to recipients in Iran or through intermediaries who would further transfer the funds there. The plea agreement states that Einolghozati knowingly transferred more than $150,000 without obtaining a required license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control.
“In each case, Einolghozati knew that it was unlawful to send the funds without a license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control, but did so anyway,” according to information released by prosecutors.
Einolghozati faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine up to $1 million, and supervised release for up to three years if convicted at sentencing.
The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is prosecuting it.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii serves as both federal prosecutorial and civil litigation office for Hawaii’s approximately 1.5 million residents; it employs a team of lawyers and staff members based primarily in Honolulu while conducting criminal investigations and prosecutions across all islands, according to the official website.