February 5, 2009

Two German nationals and a German company indicted for conspiring to export U.S. origin goods to Iran

BOSTON - Two nationals of the Federal Republic of Germany and a German company were charged today in U.S. District Court with conspiring to unlawfully procure from the United States, and export to the Islamic Republic of Iran, 26 pump parts, worth more than $200,000, for use in centrifugal sulphuric acid pumps and sulphur pumps, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Iranian Transaction Regulations and the Smuggling Statute.

Hans Werner Schneider, Christof Schneider and Schneider GMBH were charged in a one-count Indictment with conspiring to export and re-export from the United States to the Islamic Republic of Iran, pump parts worth in excess of $200,000, without obtaining the required authorization from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Today's announcement was made by United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Office of Investigations in Boston and John McKenna, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement - Boston Field Office.

"Enforcing U.S. export laws is one of our top priorities," said ICE Special Agent in Charge Bruce M. Foucart. "Part of ICE's national security mission is to disrupt and prevent the illegal export of U.S. goods in violation of U.S. sanctions and embargoes. Those who choose to violate our country's export laws will have to answer for their actions."

The Indictment alleges that the individual defendants, Hans Schneider and Christof Schneider, conspired with an unindicted person in Jordan to unlawfully acquire pump parts from a United States company for centrifugal sulphuric acid and sulphur pumps located in Iran. It is alleged that the pump parts would be delivered to Germany and then re-exported by Hans Schneider and Christof Schneider, using their company Schneider GMBH, to Iran. It is further alleged that, among other things, during the pendency of the conspiracy, Hans Schneider provided numerous false end-user forms to an undercover federal agent and representative of a U.S. manufacturer in an effort to facilitate the sale and illegal export of the pump parts.

If convicted on these charges, each defendant faces up to 5 years imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Schneider GMBH faces up to a $500,000 fine.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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