Grand Jury Finds Microtek Violated Iran Trade Embargo

PORTLAND - A Hillsboro, Ore., high-tech company that makes equipment to diagnose computer problems has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges it violated a 1995 Clinton administration trade embargo on selling computer equipment to Iran.

Microtek International Development Systems Division manufactures computer-processor emulators, which mimic the operation of computer chips at a slower speed so operators can troubleshoot problems.

In August 1997, Joe-Pin Ouyang, Microtek's president, began negotiating the sale of emulators to a company in Tehran, according to the indictment, which was unsealed last week.

Amir Janversan, an Iranian citizen, and Hamid Janversan of Salt Lake City, were charged because they acted as brokers between the Iranian buyer and Ouyang and Microtek, the indictment states.

It claims that in October 1997, more than $100,000 was wired from Switzerland and Italy to two credit-union accounts in Utah controlled by the Janversans, an attempt to hide the identity of the purchaser.

U.S. Customs agents at Portland International Airport seized the emulators Oct. 30, 1997.

Microtek, Ouyang and the Janversans are charged with conspiracy, attempting to violate the embargo and money laundering. Each defendant could face a maximum of 35 years in prison if convicted of all three counts. Microtek could face fines of as much as $1 million, in addition to forfeiting $75,125 it received during the alleged illegal transaction.

Microtek officials could not be reached for comment.

In 1995, the Clinton administration imposed the trade embargo against Iran after finding it was a threat to U.S. security by supporting international terrorists, undermining the Middle East peace effort and trying to buy weapons of mass destruction.