An Iranian nationwide flag flies over the new Stage 3 facility at the Persian Gulf Star Co. (PGSPC) fuel condensate refinery in Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Wednesday, Jan. 9. 2019. The third phase of the refinery begins functions following week and will add 12-15 million liters a day of gasoline output potential to the plant, Deputy Oil Minister Alireza Sadeghabadi informed reporters.
Ali Mohammadi | Bloomberg | Getty Visuals
The Justice Department has charged an Alabama man with violating U.S. sanctions, alleging he schemed to sell oil and gas sector products in Iran.
The DOJ indicted Ray Hunt, 69, of Madison County, Ala., on 15 counts, such as conspiracy to defraud the U.S., sanctions violations, smuggling items and publishing wrong or misleading export information and facts, in accordance to an indictment unsealed Tuesday. If convicted, he faces up to 20 decades in prison and as a lot a $1 million fantastic.
Hunt is a naturalized citizen born in Iran, in accordance to the indictment. He is also acknowledged as Abdolrahman Hantoosh, Rahman Hantoosh and Rahman Natoosh.
The U.S. alleges that Hunt started preparing in November 2017 to bypass sanctions by delivery management valves, oil tubing and other products of U.S. origin from his Alabama-based mostly firm, Vega Equipment LLC, as a result of Turkey and the United Arab Emirates to Iranian clients.
He was arrested and made his original courtroom physical appearance Tuesday.
Previous President Bill Clinton signed an govt purchase in 1995 prohibiting certain transactions related to Iran’s petroleum assets. Each and every president has prolonged the purchase considering that 1997, according to the indictment.