http://www.bxa.doc.gov/press/2002/IhsanElashly6_25_02.html
For Immediate Release
June 25, 2002
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Charges of Exporting Computer Equipment in Violation of a Temporary Denial Order
On June 17, 2002, Ihsan Elashyi, also known as Sammy Elashi, a resident of Richardson, Texas pled guilty in federal court to a charge of exporting computer equipment to Saudi Arabia in violation of a Department of Commerce Temporary Denial Order. In addition, Elashyi pled guilty to several other charges of credit card fraud, money laundering, and wire fraud. Sentencing in this case is scheduled for September 9, 2002.
Elashyi was the founder and principal owner of Tetrabal Corporation, a Richardson, Texas company that sold and exported computer hardware, computer software, and telecommunications equipment primarily to customers in the Middle East. Prior to the creation of Tetrabal, Elashyi was employed by Infocom Corporation, another Richardson, Texas company owned by Elashyi's brothers. While employed at Infocom, Elashyi engaged in sales and export transactions similar to those made by Tetrabal.
On September 6, 2001, Assistant Secretary Michael J. Garcia signed an order temporarily denying the export privileges of Infocom based on evidence that Infocom had shipped and attempted to ship computer technology to Libya and Syria - countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism by the U.S. Department of State - without the required U.S. Government authorization. Assistant Secretary Garcia also found that Elashyi and Tetrabal were related to Infocom and, on that basis, extended the terms of the Infocom denial order to Elashyi and Tetrabal.
In his guilty plea, Elashyi admitted that, on September 22, 2001, after the imposition of the Temporary Denial Order, he and Tetrabal willfully violated that order by participating in a transaction that involved the export and attempted export of computers and monitors from the United States to Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), formerly known as the Bureau of Export Administration, administers and enforces export controls for reasons of national security, foreign policy, nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, and short supply. Criminal penalties and administrative sanctions can be imposed for violations of the Export Administration Regulations. BIS is authorized to deny export privileges temporarily when such action is in the public interest to prevent an imminent violation of the Export Administration Regulations.