NY shipper sentenced for illegal exports

   The U.S. Justice Department on Friday said Jeng “Jay” Shih, 54, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced in the District of Columbia to 18 months in prison, while his Queens, N.Y.-based company, Sunrise Technologies and Trading Corp., was sentenced to 24 months corporate probation for conspiracy to illegally export U.S.-origin computers from the United States to Iran via the United Arab Emirates.
   On Oct. 7, 2011, Shih and his company each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to defraud the United States. Under the terms of the plea and related civil settlements with the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security and Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, Shih and Sunshine agreed to forfeiture in the amount of $1.25 million.
   In addition, both are denied export privileges for 10 years; although, this penalty will be suspended provided that neither Shih nor Sunrise commits any export violations, the Justice Department said.
   Shih was arrested on a criminal complaint on April 6, 2011. He and his company were later indicted on April 21, 2011. According to court documents filed in the case, beginning as early as 2007, Shih conspired with a company operating in Dubai and Tehran to procure U.S.-origin computers through Sunrise and export those computers from the United States to Iran, through Dubai, without first obtaining a license or authorization from OFAC.
   Specifically, in April 2010, the defendants illegally exported 368 units of computer-related goods to Dubai, which were later sent to Iran. This was followed shortly by another 158 units and then an additional 185 units, the Justice Department said.