Virginia FAA contractor allegedly spied for Iran, shared private information about US airports and energy industry: Department of Justice

The Department of Justice said Friday that a former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor was charged with acting as an illegal agent of the Iranian government.

According to a statement from the Department of Justice, from at least December 2017 to June 2024, 42-year-old Abouzar Rahmati allegedly met with Iranian government officials and acted on their behalf.

Rahmati, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Great Falls, Virginia, served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from June 2009 to May 2010 as part of the Iranian armed forces. The IRGC is a designated terrorist group by the US government.

After his release from the IRGC, the indictment accuses Rahmati of lying to the U.S. government about his military service with the IRGC in order to obtain employment as a U.S. contractor.

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In August 2017, prosecutors allege that Rahmati began communicating with a senior Iranian government official with whom he had previously attended college.

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Four months later, Rahmati traveled to Iran and met with intelligence agents. During the meetings, he agreed to obtain and provide them with information about the US solar industry.

After the first meetings, Rahmati began working as a spy for the Iranian government. Prosecutors said he eventually became a contractor for the FAA’s National Airspace System (NAS), which gave him access to confidential information.

Authorities alleged that in April 2022, Rahmati downloaded private documents related to the FAA and the NAS power and electrical architecture and then provided them to the Iranian government.

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He also provided the Iranian government with additional information regarding solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports and U.S. air traffic control.

“As alleged, the defendant conspired with Iranian officials and intelligence agents, even lied to obtain employment as a U.S. government contractor, and then shared sensitive government materials with Iran,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. . “When undisclosed agents of Iran or any other foreign government seek to infiltrate U.S. companies or government agencies, the Department of Justice will use every tool at its disposal to identify and prosecute them.”

Rahmani made his first appearance in the District of Columbia on Friday afternoon.

Original article source: Virginia FAA contractor allegedly spied for Iran, shared private information about US airports and energy industry: Department of Justice