California man accused of illegal overseas weapons dealing

FRESNO, Calif. – Prosecutors say a California man has been arrested on suspicion of illegally dealing military-grade weapons to the Nigerian government.

The U.S. attorney’s office says Monday that Ara Dolarian ran a Fresno-based arms brokering company but wasn’t licensed to make international deals.

Prosecutors say that despite lacking a license, Dolarian tried to broker a transfer of bombs, rockets and guns from Eastern Europe and South Africa to the Nigerian government.

Officials say he accepted more than $8 million, funneled through a phoney furniture company.

Charges include illegally brokering the sale of military-grade arms and money laundering. He faces 20 years in prison.

Dolarian, who now lives in Bulgaria, was taken into custody last week in Fresno. It wasn’t immediately known if the 58-year-old has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.