By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
FEDERAL COURT, Nov 3 – An Iran professor charged with violating U.S. Iranian sanctions sought pre-trial release in the District for the District of Columbia on November 3. Inner City Press live tweeted it here:
now DC case of US v REZA SARHANGPOUR KAFRANI a/k/a "REZA SARHANG" for Illegally Exporting Laboratory Equipment to #Iran. Today's hearing before Judge Emmet G. Sullivan is whether Kafrani can be released pre-trial.
Assistant US Attorney: The proposed third party custodian would not be around, and would not be at risk. Federal Public Defender: The proposed third party custodian has a security clearance. He works for Habitat for Humanity. There will be no Internet access.
Judge Sullivan: I'm sorry, I have to take this call. Just wait a minute.
Federal Public Defender: During the break I checked, and the only one that can put internet in the building is Cox Communications, only with the owner's consent.
Third party custodian: It is true, what Sabrina said. Judge Sullivan: You own 2 units there?
Third party custodian: I don't know how much the bail would be. Sabrina Shroff: Mr. Kafrani could put up one of the three units. Judge Sullivan: What's his connection to this case? Shroff: He's a friend of another professor in Canada. We have a friend in common.
Judge Sullivan: The one you are willing to put up, it is mortgaged? It is very marketable. Third party custodian: It's on South Manchester and Arlington Boulevard.
AUSA: We have to consider his whole financial profile. Judge Sullivan: It's a marketable property.
Shroff: He doesn't look young to me. Judge Sullivan (joking) Be careful now. (Laughs). Shroff: I'm not young either. Judge Sullivan: I had a case with a professor, about Iran, I can't remember now [Note: there's also Afrasiabi in EDNY, pro se with Federal Defender.
Judge Sullivan: I need more info, and a proposed order of forfeiture that would withstand appellate scrutiny. AUSA: They don't know each other very well. It's sort of friend of a friend. Judge Sullivan: They are not strangers. Do you want to depose him?
Judge Sullivan: I'll look at the Judge Howell case, and whatever you submit. I'm looking at 2 weeks from now. Where is he?
Shroff: In the DC Jail. In C.D.F. Judge Sullivan: He may be transferred to Lewisburg soon. I could order him to remain in DC, moved to C.T.F.
[It's the Central Treatment Facility, & Judge Sullivan is ordering it "sua sponte."] He says, "There's some progress here."
Shroff: There was a 2004 case, defendant released. Judge Sullivan: We can look it up. Nov 16 at 11am.
Inner City Press will continue to cover the case. It is US v. Kafrani, 21-cr-0501 (Sullivan) DDC
The DOJ prosecutors said: A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment today charging a Canadian national with the unlawful export of laboratory equipment from the United States to Iran, through Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to court documents, Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani, aka Reza Sarhang, 46, an Iranian national residing in Montreal, was indicted by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on one count of conspiracy, two counts of violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), one count of causing a failure to submit export information and six counts of money laundering. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds of the alleged crimes. Kafrani will be arraigned on the charges on a date to be determined by the court
***
Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.
