Attorney General Merrick Garland speaking in the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., on March 11.
The Justice Department announced charges against 10 Iranian nationals on Friday for running a nearly 20-year-long scheme to evade U.S. sanctions on the government of Iran.
Why it matters: The DOJ said the defendants, who are believed to be outside the U.S., helped the country evade sanctions by disguising more than $300 million worth of transactions through front companies in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.
If convicted, the nationals could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The department is also seeking a money laundering penalty of $157 million.
What they're saying: “This is only right," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said.
- "Through the use of front companies, money service businesses and exchanges throughout the world, the defendants worked to disguise hundreds of millions of dollars worth of transactions on behalf of a state sponsor of terrorism."