Free Republic

EDITED EXCERPT An Iranian businessman accused by the US government of violating sanctions on Tehran donated money to the Clinton Foundation, The Daily Beast has confirmed. Vahid Alaghband’s Balli Aviation Ltd, a London-based subsidiary of his commodities trading firm tried to sell 747's to Iran, despite a US federal ban. The company pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal information. The hefty sum imposed was “a direct consequence of the level of deception used to mislead investigators," Thomas Madigan, a top DOJ official, said at the time. Balli Aviation agreed to pay a $2 million criminal fine, serve five years...

The Iranian Web of Influence in the United States   By Hassan Daioleslam FrontPageMagazine.com | Wednesday, April 02, 2008 On March 21, 2008, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced its decision to penalize three Iranian-connected companies as "they knowingly exported three U.S. origin aircraft to Iran in violation of the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) and are preparing to re-export three additional U.S. origin aircraft to Iran in further violation of the EAR."1The principal firm among these is Balli Group PLC based in London. Iranian brothers Vahid and Hassan Alaghband own the company. Balli owns...

Appeals court rules in Venegas' favor BY LAUREL ALMADA Times staff writer The Fourth Court of Appeals ordered that a Laredo man charged in a 12-year-old triple ax murder case must be released from custody or have his bond reduced Wednesday. The published opinion came as a result of Miguel Angel Venegas Jr.'s appeal of a decision rendered by visiting Judge Fred Shannon on March 5. Despite the order, the prosecution maintains Venegas cannot be released from the Webb County jail until the state has exhausted its appellate resources. The defendant is charged with three counts of murder and one...