Former Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Arms Export Act, Tried to Sell to Iran

Mozaffar Khazaee, 60, a former Manchester resident, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to violating laws against sending arms-related material to Iran.

Khazaee made “efforts to send to Iran sensitive, proprietary, trade secret and export-controlled material relating to military jet enjines for the U.S. Air Force’s F35 Joint Strik Fighter program and the F-22 Raptor program,” according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Haven.

“While employed with U.S. defense contractors, Mozaffar Khazaee stole sensitive, proprietary and controlled technology to send it to Iran,” said Deirdre DalyUnited States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. “The illegal export of our military technology compromises U.S. national security and reduces the advantages our armed forces currently possess. As today’s case demonstrates, we will aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who attempt to steal trade secrets and sensitive military technology from U.S. industries, whether for their own personal gain or for the benefit of foreign actors.”

From 2001 and 2013, Khazaee worked for three different defense contractors, prosecutors said.

In November 2013, Khazaee tried to ship to Iran “numerous boxes and digital media containing thousands of documents consisting of sensitive technical manuals, specification sheets, technical drawings and data, and other proprietary material relating to military jet engines and the United States Air Force’s F35 Joint Strike Fighter (“JSF”) program and the F-22 Raptor,” according to the news release.

He was arrested at an airport in January 2014 while trying to board a flight for Iran. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 20. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.