Defendant Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Export Military Aircraft Parts to Iran

The U.S. Department of Justice reports in its press release (quotation, not an independent finding): “WASHINGTON – Hassan Saied Keshari and his corporation, Kesh Air International, pleaded guilty this morning in the Southern District of Florida to charges of conspiring to illegally export military and commercial aircraft parts to Iran. The guilty pleas were announced by Matt Olsen, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security; R. Alexander Acosta, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Michael Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce; Office of Export Enforcement; Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Investigations; and Sharon Woods, Director, U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Keshari appeared on behalf of himself and Kesh Air International in federal court today to announce their guilty pleas. Charges are still pending against two remaining defendants charged in the indictment, Traian Bujduveanu and his corporation, Orion Aviation Corp. Sentencing is scheduled for April 8, 2009, at 8:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Seitz. Count 1 of the Indictment, to which Keshari and Kesh Air International pleaded guilty, charges conspiracy to export and cause the export of goods from the United States to the Islamic Republic Iran, in violation of the embargo imposed upon that country by the United States and in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and to export and cause to be exported defense articles, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. ”