A dual US-Iranian national, Jamshid Ghomi, has been arrested in California and is now charged with providing encryption equipment to Iran's nuclear programme.
According to US Department of Justice, Mr Ghomi, 63, is chief executive of Iran-based Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh, which describes itself as a Tehran-based computer networking company.
Such actions are in violation of US sanction laws designed to weaken Iran's ruling regime.
“Ghomi is accused of aiding our declared enemies by selling US-origin computer networking parts to Iran and earning millions of dollars in violation of US sanction laws,” US Attorney Bill Essayli said.
“We will hold him accountable by seeking an appropriate prison sentence and by seizing his assets, including his $35 million Newport Beach mansion."
The US Attorney's office representing the central district of California said that Mr Ghomi is expected to make a court appearance on Wednesday.
He is also accused of breaching US sanctions by providing computer networking and security equipment of US origin to various Iranian customers.
More specifically, the US Attorney's office says that from 2014 to 2018, Mr Ghomi secretly moved about 250 tonnes of networking equipment to Iran "using freight forwarders and intermediaries", and went to great lengths to disguise the true destination.
Mr Ghomi's company, according to federal investigators annually had sales of more than $10 million.
He referred to Iran as the “Motherland” while corresponding with co-conspirators who were charged with getting the networking equipment into the country, the Attorney's office said in a statement.
"Ghomi funded the construction of his Orange County mansion with the proceeds of his sanctions-evasion scheme," the office said on Wednesday. "Ghomi purchased a vacant lot in Newport Coast in March 2010 for $4,490,000 and paid approximately $10,490,371 to construct the residence from 2010 to 2013."
He could face up to 20 years in prison is convicted.
Video from Los Angeles affiliate Fox 11 showed a heavy police presence outside Mr Ghomi's home as authorities apprehended him.
Due to long-standing US sanctions against Iran, the country has sought to bolster its computer infrastructure through alternative methods.
Cryptocurrencies have played pivotal role in transferring funds to and from Iran as well, helping to fund cyber crime efforts.
