A former U.S. Army helicopter pilot who became a civilian contractor appeared in federal court in San Diego earlier this week on charges that when he was required to make disclosures during national security background checks, he did not disclose that he repeatedly met with – and received cash payments from – a Chinese national linked to intelligence services.
Shapour Moinian, 66, of Mira Mesa, worked for many years for various defense contractors and also as a civilian contractor for the U.S. Navy and was subjected to multiple national security background checks, according to a Department of Justice release.
According to a complaint and disclosures made at his initial appearance and bond hearing, Moinian made false statements on these questionnaires, asserting repeatedly that he did not have any contact with foreign nationals. The maximum penalty for making fraudulent statements is a fine and up to five years in prison.
“The complaint alleges a disturbing failure to reveal information highly relevant to the background clearance process,” Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said. “This office is committed to ensuring that individuals in sensitive national security positions are worthy of the trust placed in them.”
In 2017, he was communicating with a Chinese National, who posed as a recruiter on a job-services platform in a manner that both Germany and France have publicly identified as a technique used by Chinese intelligence services.
Moinian then traveled to China in March 2017 while working as a cleared defense contractor on various projects, including a high-altitude, unmanned surveillance aircraft used by the U.S. military and various allies.
Moinian continued to communicate with his Chinese contact when he returned to the U.S. and updated her on the progress of his work for her. In September 2017, Moinian again traveled overseas and met with his Chinese contact. Following this meeting, Moinian used a relative’s South Korean bank account to receive payment from his Chinese contact, which he then had wired to him in the United States.
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Moinian completed a Questionnaire for National Security Background Investigations in 2017, where it is alleged he made knowingly and willfully materially false, fraudulent, and fictitious statements.
After returning from another overseas meeting with his Chinese contact and her associates in 2018, where he received a cash payment, Moinian conducted searches using an internet search engine for sabotage, espionage, spying and selling military information to a foreign country.
In June 2019, Moinian requested a $20,000 payment from his Chinese contact, telling her that it was for a friend. In August of that year, Moinian traveled overseas to meet with his Chinese contact and others, where he received a large cash payment.
In 2020, when completing another background check, it is alleged Moinian made knowingly and willfully materially false, fraudulent, and fictitious statements and representations, when he reaffirmed that he had not had close or continuing contact with a foreign national and had not been asked to work as a consultant, or consider employment by a foreign national, within the past seven years.
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Moinian, a former helicopter pilot for the U.S. Army, continued his work for various defense contractors while communicating and meeting with his Chinese contact and her associates, who provided him with cash payments that he smuggled back into the United States.
These meetings, and payments, occurred in multiple overseas locations, including Hong Kong, Macau, Bali, and Taiwan. In addition to cash payments at these meetings, Moinian also received at least one other payment from his Chinese contact that he funneled through his relative’s South Korean bank account.
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At the time of his arrest on Oct. 1, 2021, Moinian was working for another cleared defense contractor and was slated to relocate to South Korea to work on a military aircraft being produced for that country. When he was arrested, Moinian had already provided many of his belongings to a company to transport to South Korea and given notice that he was vacating his apartment the following week.
Although these charges have been filed, the investigation is continuing by both the FBI and NCIS.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com
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