BIS Suspends Export Privileges, Including for Circuit Exports to China

The Bureau of Industry and Security on Aug. 13 suspended the export privileges of four people, including one for illegal integrated circuit exports to China, another for illegal weapons brokering, and two others for illegally exporting weapons or ammunition.

BIS suspended the export privileges Yi-Chi Shih, an inmate at a federal prison in California, for 10 years after he was convicted Nov. 17, 2023, for “knowingly and willfully” exporting “Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits” from the U.S. to China without the required licenses (see 2307260080). BIS also said he made false statements to federal agents. The 10-year export suspension began from the date of his conviction.

The agency issued another 10-year export suspension against Rami Najm Ghanem, an inmate at a federal prison in Missouri, after he was convicted of weapons brokering activities without a license, and of negotiating and arranging contracts, purchases, sales, and transfers of defense articles and services, including for machine guns. Ghanem was convicted after the U.S. said he helped transfer surface-to-air missile systems around the world, including to clients in Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Hezbollah (see 1908210041). His 10-year denial order took effect on his Oct. 31, 2022, conviction date.

Marco Antonio Peralta-Vega of Arizona will also face a 10-year denial order, which began on his Aug. 18, 2021, conviction date, after he smuggled various firearms and ammunition from the U.S. to Mexico, BIS said. He was sentenced to three years in prison with credit for time served, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Kenan L’Homme of Georgia was convicted Nov. 28, 2022, after pleading guilty to illegally exporting a Smith & Wesson model M&P pistol, a CZ P-10F pistol, a Taurus revolver, a Glock model 26 pistol, a Glock model 43 pistol, a Glock model 30s pistol, an Anderson AR-15 lower unit, an Aero Precision AR-15 lower unit, and three Glock model 23s pistols from the U.S., BIS said. L’Homme was sentenced to three years in prison and a $200 special assessment. BIS suspended his export privileges for six years from the conviction date.