Turkish Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Exporting Items to Iran

A Turkish businessman was sentenced to just more than two years in prison following his conviction for conspiring to illegally export marine equipment from the U.S. to Iran, the Justice Department said in a Sept. 3 press release. Resit Tavan, owner of Istanbul-based Ramor Dis Ticaret, tried to export “specialized” equipment, including outboard engines, marine power generators and power boat propulsion equipment known as “surface drives,” the press release said.

Between 2013 and 2015, Tavan bought the equipment, manufactured in Wisconsin, on behalf of Iran-based Qeshm Madkandalou Shipbuilding Cooperative, the Justice Department said. Tavan also worked with Iranian officers associated with Qeshm Madkandalou to use the U.S. origin goods to build a “prototype high-speed missile attack boat” for Iran’s military, the press release said. Tavan used his company in Turkey to buy the goods before re-exporting them to Iran.