Two US Citizens, Pakistani National Charged With Violating IEEPA

Two U.S. citizens, Muzzamil Zaidi and Asim Naqvi, and Pakistani national Ali Chawla were charged with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act after they allegedly arranged for transport of U.S. currency from the U.S. to Iran for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in 2018 and 2019, the Justice Department said Aug. 19. After the U.S. sanctioned Khamenei in 2019 (see 1906240046), all three allegedly were involved in collecting U.S. currency from donors through a “religious tax” authorized by Khamenei, sometimes transporting the money first to Iraq, then Iran. The Justice Department alleges Zaidi and Naqvi structured the shipments to “avoid reporting requirements.” Zaidi, who resides in Iran; Naqvi, who lives in Houston; and Chawla, who lives in Iran, each face a maximum 20-year prison sentence for violating the IEEPA.