September 06, 2019
A federal grand jury has charged an Iranian-American man for violating the US embargo on Iran by sending Russian-made tank helmets to the Islamic Republic.
It wasn’t explained why Iran would not buy such helmets from Russia.
The three-count indictment charges Richard Lant, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Dariush Niknia, 56, from Elk Grove, California, with engaging in prohibited transactions with Iran, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Between May and October 2015, according to the indictment, Niknia and Lant conspired to unlawfully supply 500 Russian-made tank helmets to Niknia’s contact in Tehran.
Niknia contacted Lant, who operated R&L Ltd., a company that sold Russian items, according to the indictment, and requested to purchase a Tehran-bound shipment of 500 helmets. Niknia initially paid Lant’s company for two sample tank helmets and shipment from Russia to Iran.
After Niknia’s customer approved the second sample tank helmet, the indictment said, Niknia paid Lant additional money for 50 more tank helmets.