The US Department of Justice in a statement on Tuesday said that it has charged a Taiwanese woman and two companies with participating in a criminal conspiracy to breach US export laws and sanctions against Iran.
Huang Chin-hua (黃清華), Taiwan-based DES International Co Ltd (得實國際) and subsidiary Soltech Industry Co Ltd contravened the US’ International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, the department said.
“The defendants are charged with conspiring to violate American sanctions on Iran by buying goods from the United States, concealing the origin of those goods and sending them to Iran for use by the government and business,” US Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said in the statement.
“Violations of the sanctions diminish their effectiveness and delay the day when Iran will cease its belligerent activity,” he said.
DES International is based in Taiwan, while Soltech is registered in Brunei, uses an address in Hong Kong and is operated by DES employees in Taiwan, the department said.
Huang, 42, is a Taiwanese resident who worked as a sales agent for DES International and Soltech, and used her position to help an Iranian research center obtain US goods without legal approval, it said.
The goods included a “power amplifier designed for use in electromechanical devices and cybersecurity software,” the department said.
Huang allegedly concealed the US origin of the goods by removing serial number stickers with the phrase “made in USA” from packages and “causing the cybersecurity software to be downloaded onto a computer outside of Iran,” it said.
If convicted, Huang faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to US$250,000, while DES International and Soltech would each face a fine of up to US$500,000, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the US Department of the Treasury has taken concurrent action against Huang, DES International, Soltech and other individuals, including two other Taiwanese nationals.
In a separate statement, the Treasury Department accused them of “facilitating the procurement of sensitive goods” for an Iranian company believed to be controlled by the government.
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