The U.S. Department of Justice says Abouzar Rahmati lied to gain entry into the United States and become a naturalized citizen who obtained employment with an FAA contractor and shared non-public documents with Iran. Photo by the U.S. Department of Justice
Sept. 28 (UPI) — A naturalized U.S. citizen lied to obtain employment with a contractor and gain access to sensitive information that he shared with the Iranian government, the Department of Justice said.
Former Federal Aviation Administration contractor Abouzar Rahmati, 42, formerly was an officer in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and on Friday was indicted for allegedly acting and conspiring to act as an agent of the Iranian government in the United States.
Rahmati “conspired with Iranian officials and intelligence operatives, even lying to obtain employment as a U.S. government contractor only to then share sensitive government materials with Iran,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said in a news release.
The DOJ said Rahmati conspired with Iranian government officials and intelligence operatives from at least December 2017 through June 2024 by meeting with Iranian intelligence officers in Iran and communicating with co-conspirators.
Rahmati allegedly used a cover story to hide his activities and gain employment with an FAA contractor that had access to sensitive and non-public information on the U.S. solar industry, which Olsen said he shared with Iranian intelligence.
Rahmati “is charged with infiltrating a U.S. agency with the intent of providing Iran with sensitive information vital to our national security,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves said.
Rahmati resided in Great Falls, Va., and was a first lieutenant in the IRGC from June 2009 to May 2010 and lied to U.S. government officials to enter the United States and gain employment with a federal contractor, DOJ said.
The indictment said Rahmati in August 2017 offered his services to the Iranian government and in December 2017 traveled to Iran to meet with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials.
The Iranian government allegedly tasked Rahmati with learning about the U.S. solar industry and providing public and non-public information to Iran.
Rahmati then applied for several positions with U.S. government entities and private contractors to access sensitive information.
He gained employment with a company that supported the FAA’s National Airspace System by providing power and electrical architecture.
Rahmati also is accused of obtaining information regarding solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports and air traffic control towers, which he allegedly provided to his brother, who is an unnamed co-conspirator, according to the DOJ.
Rahmati “betrayed his country by transferring sensitive U.S. information to a foreign power,” FBI executive assistant director Robert Wells said. “This alleged betrayal not only undermines our national security but also puts U.S. jobs and livelihoods at risk.”
The federal indictment was filed in the U.S. District Court for Washington D.C., where Rahmati appeared Friday afternoon for his arraignment hearing.