FAA contractor pleads guilty to spying for Iran

Abouzar Rahmati, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Great Falls, Virginia, has pleaded guilty to working with Iranian government and intelligence officials as a contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from 2017 to 2024. The Department of Justice (DOJ) stated that Rahmati, 42, admitted to conspiring to act and acting as an agent of the Iranian government in the U.S. without notifying the Attorney General.

Previously, Rahmati served as a 1st Lt. in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated terrorist group by the U.S. government, from June 2009 to May 2010. Court documents revealed that Rahmati collaborated with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials in the U.S. between December 2017 and June 2024.

During this period, Rahmati traveled to Iran, communicated with Iranian authorities using a cover story, secured employment with an FAA contractor granting access to sensitive information about the U.S. aviation sector, and provided open-source and non-public materials about the U.S. solar energy industry to intelligence officers.

In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to Iran through a former colleague who was a senior Iranian government official with ties to the Ministry of Intelligence and Security. Subsequently, Rahmati met with intelligence operatives and government officials in Iran, agreeing to gather and share information about the U.S. solar industry.

Upon returning to the U.S. in early 2018, Rahmati obtained private and open-source materials on the U.S. solar industry, which he shared with Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology. As an FAA contractor, Rahmati downloaded at least 175 GB of files containing sensitive FAA documents related to the National Aerospace System, Airport Surveillance Radar systems, and radio frequency data.

Rahmati stored these files on removable media and took them to Iran in April 2022, providing them to government officials. Additionally, he shared information about solar energy, the FAA, U.S. airports, and air traffic control towers with his brother in Iran so that his brother could deliver the files to intelligence officials on Rahmati’s behalf.

Scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 26, Rahmati faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for acting as an agent of a foreign government and up to five years in prison for conspiracy. This case highlights the seriousness of espionage and the potential risks associated with individuals collaborating with foreign governments.

Please note: This article was rewritten based on the original source content provided by Fox News Digital and includes key points and information from the DOJ announcement.