News

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Three Irish men and their arms trading company have been charged with illegally exporting U.S.-made aircraft equipment through other countries to avoid sanctions against selling aircraft parts and equipment to Iran, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.

The 25-count indictment unsealed Tuesday in federal court in Washington says three top corporate officials of Mac Aviation of Ireland had trans-shipped millions of dollars worth of helicopter engines, aircraft components and other military parts through Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates to Iran.

CNN was unable to reach Mac Aviation, in Drumcliffe, Ireland, for comment.

Although the three men are not currently in custody in Ireland, U.S. officials said the charges will come as no surprise to the defendants. U.S. authorities say they intend to seek extradition of the men to face charges, and potentially lengthy prison sentences.

According to the indictment Thomas McGuinn, his son Sean McGuinn and Sean Byrne conspired from 2005 to 2008 to buy parts from Rolls Royce Corp. in Indiana, Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut and other U.S. suppliers and secretly sell them to Iranian entities controlled by Iran’s Ministry of Defense.

U.S. investigators say the equipment was routed through third countries, including Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, to Iranian ... >>>