$15M reward announced for alleged Chinese ringleader, others accused of smuggling US drone technology to Iran

The FBI connected Wednesday shared a wanted poster for Chinese nationalist Baoxia "Emily" Liu, adding that the State Department is offering a reward of up to $15 cardinal for accusation connected her and others accused of smuggling U.S. drone weapons to Iran. 

IRAN TRYING TO BOLSTER ITS 'BATTERED DETERRENCE' WITH RESPONSE TO TRUMP THREATS AGAINST HOUTHIS, EXPERT SAYS

Baoxia "Emily" Liu is wanted by the FBI for her alleged engagement successful a conspiracy to smuggle U.S.-origin physics components to Iran. The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to $15 million. (FBI | Getty Images)

The Department of State, present nether President Donald Trump, said connected Wednesday its Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $15 cardinal "for accusation starring to the disruption of the fiscal mechanisms" of the IRGC and its assorted branches, including the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), which are designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). 

"The IRGC has financed galore violent attacks and activities globally, including via its outer proxies specified arsenic Hamas, Hizballah, and Iran-backed militia groups successful Iraq," the State Department wrote successful its announcement. "The IRGC funds its violent activities — successful portion — done income of subject equipment, including UAVs, oregon drones." 

Beginning arsenic aboriginal arsenic 2007, Liu and her associates "allegedly utilized an array of beforehand companies successful the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to nonstop dual-use U.S.-origin physics components to IRGC-linked companies that could beryllium utilized successful the accumulation of UAVs, ballistic rocket systems, and different subject extremity uses," the State Department said, noting the IRGC and its supporters "generate and determination millions of dollars astir the satellite by establishing and relying connected beforehand companies to procure cutting-edge exertion to evade sanctions and commercialized controls." 

Commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, speaks during a rally commemorating Hezbollah's precocious leaders, Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddin, successful downtown Tehran, Iran, connected Feb. 23, 2025.  (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The announcement comes aft Trump ordered U.S. strikes against Iran-backed Houthis successful Yemen implicit the weekend, and Israel bombarded Gaza, ending its ceasefire with Iran-backed Hamas aft the panic radical refused aggregate hostage merchandise deals. 

Hezbollah, different Iran-backed panic radical based successful Lebanon, besides launched a rocket toward Israel, but it was intercepted earlier entering Israeli airspace, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). 

Trump said helium sent a missive to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei 2 weeks agone offering nonstop negotiations with Tehran to deter them from obtaining a atomic weapon. 

TRUMP WATCHES STRIKE ON IRAN-BACKED HOUTHIS IN YEMEN IN NEW WHITE HOUSE PICS AS LARGE-SCALE OP CONTINUES

The State Department said Liu and her 3 co-defendants "allegedly misrepresented the extremity users of dual-use U.S.-origin physics components, starring U.S. companies to export goods to PRC-based beforehand companies nether the guise that the eventual destination of these products was China alternatively than Iran." 

A veiled Iranian pistillate holds up a motion featuring portraits of Lebanon's Hezbollah precocious leaders, Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddin, during a rally astatine the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque successful downtown Tehran, Iran, connected Feb. 23, 2025.  (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"As a result, a immense magnitude of dual-use U.S.-origin products with subject capabilities person been exported from the United States to IRGC-linked companies Shiraz Electronics Industries (SEI), Rayan Roshd Afzar, and their affiliates, successful usurpation of U.S. sanctions and export power laws and regulations," the section said. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The IRGC and MODAFL "have utilized the U.S.-controlled exertion to make and manufacture arms and weapons systems, including UAVs, that are sold to governments and groups successful allied countries specified arsenic Russia, Sudan, and Yemen," it added.