SAN DIEGO - A federal grand jury has charged two individuals and two companies with 15 felony charges arising from the smuggling of helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft components from the United States to Iran. The indictment is the result of an extensive and lengthy investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
On Tuesday, Willy A.E. De Greef, 70, Frederic Roland Nicolas Depelchin, 39, Meca Airways LTD and Meca Overseas Airways LTD were charged by superseding indictment. Both De Greef and Depelchin are citizens and residents of Belgium.
On May 13, the Metropolitan Police arrested De Greef in London, England. Depelchin remains a fugitive. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California Laura E. Duffy stated that her office will now seek De Greef's extradition to the United States.
In addition to the 15 felony charges, De Greef is also charged with two counts of making false statements to the U.S. government concerning the alleged smuggling ring. The indictment alleges that De Greef and Depelchin brokered aircraft parts through Meca Airways LTD and Meca Overseas Airways LTD, each headquartered in Belgium.
According to the indictment, De Greef, Depelchin and their companies regularly received purchase orders and requests from co-conspirators and customers in Iran for U.S.-origin helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft parts, which the defendants would then purchase from U.S. suppliers. The indictment alleges the defendants intentionally concealed from U.S. suppliers that the parts were intended for, and would be delivered to, Iran. Instead, the defendants falsely certified and promised to U.S. suppliers that the goods would not be diverted or transferred to Iran. According to the indictment, however, when the defendants received the aircraft parts in Belgium, they routinely diverted the parts to their customers in Iran. The indictment alleges the defendants smuggled millions of dollars' worth of aircraft parts from the United States to Iran.
U.S. law broadly prohibits the exportation, sale or supply of goods from the United States to Iran, unless expressly authorized by the U.S. Treasury Department. According to the indictment, the defendants never received any such authorization.
The original indictment was handed up on March 8, but remained sealed until May 13.
The charges arise from a lengthy investigation by ICE HSI and the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.
ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.