Brothers convicted in the USA of serving to Iran evade sanctions had been allowed to legally undertake new identities in Ontario, information launched to World Information present.
Amin and Arash Yousefijam had been sentenced in Michigan within the fall of 2021 for utilizing shell corporations to illegally export delicate manufacturing tools to Iran, the place they had been born.
They then returned to Ontario, the place that they had lived previous to their arrests, and utilized to vary their names to Ameen and Aurash Cohen. The province granted their requests in April 2022.
On the time they altered their identities, they had been nonetheless serving out a part of their sentences — a one-year interval of supervised launch, a type of parole, authorities information present.
Utilizing his new identify, Arash Yousefijam, 36, turned a registered dentist and went to work in Ottawa as Dr. Aurash Cohen. The Royal Faculty of Dental Surgeons of Ontario declined to reply questions on him.
In the meantime, his brother, 37, took a job as a compliance officer at a global firm in Richmond Hill, Ont. Property information present an Ameen Cohen purchased a house within the metropolis in 2022.
The province issued Amin Yousefijam’s identify change certificates though he was not a Canadian citizen and the Canada Border Providers Company was within the means of deporting him for dodging sanctions on Iran.
The Ministry of Public and Enterprise Service Supply and Procurement, which oversees identify modifications, has not but responded to questions concerning the matter.
Beneath Ontario legislation, these making use of to vary their names should present particulars of their legal convictions, and can’t search new identities for an “improper objective.”
Regardless of his new moniker, Amin Yousefijam didn’t elude the CBSA, which has now despatched his case to the Immigration and Refugee Board for a deportation order.
Hearings to resolve whether or not he needs to be deported are to start on Oct. 28. His legal professionals tried to ban the press from the proceedings, however World Information fought the applying and received.
His legal professionals declined to remark. Citing privateness, the CBSA would additionally not remark, however the brothers’ identify change certificates had been publicly launched by the IRB at his deportation case.
As a naturalized Canadian citizen, his brother Arash can’t be deported. Reached by World Information, Arash stated the duo legally modified their names as a result of “we wish to begin a brand new life.”
“It’s just a few authorized points that I had and so they acquired resolved and I’m again,” he stated. “So far as I’m involved, I’m a Canadian citizen, I paid my dues, I simply acquired time served, I returned to Canada.”
He stated it was not proper that immigration authorities had been making an attempt to deport his brother when each had been convicted. “It’s undoubtedly not truthful as a result of I’m not having any penalties however he’s.”
Reveals filed by the CBSA within the deportation case present immigration enforcement officers are alleging that Amin Yousefijam undermined Canada’s efforts to comprise the menace posed by the Iranian regime.
A banking trade veteran with an MBA diploma, he contributed to “an elevated safety menace in the direction of Canada with reference to terrorism and assault by nuclear weapons,” CBSA wrote in its report.
“Mr. Yousefijam’s actions immediately compromised the efforts of the Canadian authorities with respect to its international coverage targets vis-a-vis Iran.”
Canada ‘Strategic Nation’ for Iran
With Iran and Israel edging towards battle, the case is a take a look at of how Canada responds to a international citizen on its soil who violated the sanctions meant to maintain the Islamic Republic in examine.
Canadian immigration authorities are at the moment trying to deport greater than a dozen alleged senior members of the Iranian regime caught dwelling within the nation.
However the Yousefijam case is totally different: it’s concerning the enforcement of the sanctions which have change into Canada’s main instrument towards Iran’s try to unfold instability within the Center East.
Iran’s “axis of resistance” consists of terror teams Hamas, which carried out the Oct. 7 assault, the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Yemeni Houthis, who’ve disrupted international transport.
To construct its navy energy and nuclear applications, Iran has relied on a global provide community that circumvents the sanctions meant to scale back its menace to the area.
A CBSA report filed in help of Yousefijam’s deportation stated Canada was among the many international locations Iran was utilizing to amass dual-use applied sciences with navy functions.
Canada is a gorgeous location for Iran to take action due to its proximity to the U.S. and “established commerce agreements facilitating the motion of products,” it stated.
“On this respect, Canada is a strategic nation for Iranian entrance and shell corporations to determine themselves,” the CBSA wrote in its case towards Yousefijam.
Prof. Jessica Davis, an professional on nationwide safety and illicit financing, stated sanctions had been in place to create a safer international monetary system and scale back threats to Canada and its allies.
“So anybody concerned in undermining these processes is, by extension, undermining international safety and Canadian safety,” stated Davis, president of Perception Risk Intelligence.
The previous Canadian Safety Intelligence Service analyst stated it was “quite common” for the U.S. to prosecute such instances as a result of it acts as an enforcer of monetary laws all over the world.
“Canada hasn’t traditionally had a very good observe report when it comes to detecting and disrupting sanctions evasion exercise,” she stated.
“This has been one thing of an underfunded and understaffed operate inside a variety of totally different organizations.”
She stated she was struck that, following his conviction, Yousefijam continued to work as a compliance officer, a job that entails detecting and reporting suspicious exercise equivalent to sanctions evasion.
“To have somebody employed in that capability who has a legal conviction for sanctions evasion, I believe raises quite a lot of questions.”
Yousefijam argued in his written response to the allegations that his involvement within the scheme was minimal and that he didn’t signify a safety menace.
He stated he had labored for a number of banks, together with RBC, hoped to change into a vice-president within the banking trade, and had utilized to dental faculty.
Deporting him can be “unjust” and “devastating” to his profession and private life, he stated, explaining he had met “the love of my life.”
“I humbly ask to your compassion and for the chance to proceed to contribute to Canadian society,” he wrote.
Cross-Stuffing within the Emirates
Starting in 2015, Amin Yousefijam, Arash and a 3rd conspirator in Iran, Abdollah Momeni Roustani, used a shell firm, Austin Basic Buying and selling, to run what is called a “cross-stuffing” scheme.
They approached U.S. producers to buy and export supplies restricted by sanctions put in place in response to Iran’s nuclear and weapons applications, function in terrorism and human rights abuses.
To cover that Iran was the true vacation spot of the exports, they made the purchases with accounts at banks positioned in international international locations, Yousefijam admitted in his plea settlement.
The shipments had been transported to the United Arab Emirates, the place they had been taken out of their containers and illicitly re-shipped to Iran. The ploy is often known as transshipping.
Yousefijam performed a “important function” within the plot, which continued after he arrived in Canada eight years in the past, in line with the CBSA allegations.
He was “primarily accountable for negotiating and arranging the transport logistics,” whereas his brother dealt with worth negotiations, the CBSA wrote in its report.
“Cash laundering was one other technique allegedly utilized by the co-conspirators to dodge U.S. sanctions towards Iran,” the company wrote.
Canadian officers famous that each brothers had labored as money-laundering investigators and that Yousefijam was a financial institution compliance officer.
“Thus the usage of cash laundering by the co-conspirators provides to the hazard posed to the safety of Canada,” the company wrote.
Arrest, Extradition and Responsible Plea
The U.S. filed a sealed indictment towards the Yousefijams in April 2020. Eight months later, Arash took a flight from Toronto to North Carolina, the place he was arrested.
Performing on a U.S. extradition request, the Toronto Police Fugitive Squad arrested Amin Yousefijam on Jan. 21, 2021.
Each brothers pleaded responsible to what the U.S. referred to as “deeply disturbing” allegations. Prosecutors requested for a “important sentence of imprisonment” for Yousefijam.
“The defendant’s realizing and intentional conduct right here undermined the U.S. sanctions regime and threatened the safety of the USA by supporting a state sponsor of terrorism,” they argued.
Each had been sentenced to time served, plus a 12 months of supervised launched. U.S. immigration authorities then eliminated them again to Canada.
After they modified their names, Yousefijam wrote to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada asking for a brand new everlasting resident’s card as Ameen Cohen, information present.
“I’m excited concerning the prospect of totally integrating into Canadian society and making a optimistic contribution to this nice nation,” he wrote.
However a CBSA investigation advisable deporting him, and famous he was dwelling in Canada when he organized one of many illicit shipments to Iran.
He “actively participated in a conspiracy using a clandestine procurement and transport community, whose objective was to bypass U.S. sanctions to the good thing about Iran,” the company wrote.
“The aim of those sanctions relies on nationwide safety targets, together with being a response to state-sponsored terrorism and human rights abuses, and most notably, to limit the flexibility of Iran to develop nuclear weapons,” the CBSA wrote.
In written responses he despatched to the CBSA, Yousefijam described his function within the illicit exports as “minimal” and stated he had realized from the expertise.
“I solely forwarded a number of emails on the request of my brother,” he wrote in his submissions to immigration enforcement authorities.
He stated he had no intention of undermining Canadian safety and had withdrawn from the scheme voluntarily and cooperated with U.S. authorities.
“As a everlasting resident of Canada, I really feel deeply remorseful for my involvement within the scheme that led to my conviction in the USA,” he wrote.
He stated he had sought counseling and remedy “to assist me perceive and tackle the underlying points that contributed to my involvement on this scheme.”
“Since returning to Canada in November 2021, I’ve secured a good job and have totally built-in into society,” he wrote.
He stated he had been constructing a profession within the banking trade and had utilized to dental faculties in Toronto, London and Montreal.
“I’ve demonstrated that I’m dedicated to dwelling a accountable and productive life and contributing positively to society.”
Throughout the pandemic, he was dwelling along with his fiancé and “can not image my future with out her,” he wrote. If he was deported, “the melancholy I’d endure can be lethal.”
He additionally felt it could be unfair to deport him whereas his brother “faces no penalties” from Canadian immigration as a result of he’s a citizen.
However the CBSA was not moved by his assertion.
“The seriousness of the allegations towards him and the pursuits of the Canadian public far outweigh the potential difficulties which can come up ought to the topic be faraway from Canada,” the company wrote.
On Sept. 10, Yousefijam sat in a listening to room on the Immigration and Refugee Board workplaces in Toronto’s Rexdale neighbourhood.
The IRB imposed a publication ban on some particulars about his brother. The case will resolve whether or not a deportation order needs to be issued.
Stewart.Bell@globalnews.ca