--- description: The businessman is a "principal supplier" to Iran's ballistic-missile program, U.S. authorities said. title: U.S. Offers $5 Million for Chinese Businessman Li Fangwei Aka Karl Lee image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt67d033432a919dbd/69868d1bf983e784e904d905/iran_missiles_0430.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Wanted: Li Fangwei, Alias Karl Lee. Reward: $5 Million by [Michelle Arrouas](/author/michelle-arrouas/) ## Michelle Arrouas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 30, 2014 8:11 AM CUT  A military truck carrying Shalamcheh missiles drives past the presidential rostrum during the annual Army Day military parade on April 18, 2014 in Tehran A military truck carrying Shalamcheh missiles drives past the presidential rostrum during the annual Army Day military parade on April 18, 2014 in TehranAtta Kenare—AFP/Getty Images by [Michelle Arrouas](/author/michelle-arrouas/) ## Michelle Arrouas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 30, 2014 8:11 AM CUT The U.S. has put a $5 million [bounty](http://www.cnbc.com/id/101626375 "undefined") on a Chinese businessman accused of selling ballistic-missile parts to Iran, authorities [said](http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/April14/LiFangweiIndictmentPR.php "undefined") Tuesday. U.S. authorities have also put eight trading firms that were allegedly operated by Li Fangwei on a sanctions list and seized close to $7 million attributed to Li’s front companies. Li, who is better known by the alias of Karl Lee, has been prohibited from doing business with U.S. companies since 2006. “Li Fangwei has used subterfuge and deceit to continue to evade U.S. sanctions that had been imposed because of his illicit trade in prohibited materials with Iran,” [said](http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/April14/LiFangweiIndictmentPR.php "undefined") Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. “Previously having been exposed as a violator of those sanctions, Li spun a web of front companies to carry out prohibited transactions essentially in disguise.” Li is charged with substantive violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, two charges of conspiracy to violate it, conspiracy to launder money, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. If caught and convicted, he faces decades in prison. The U.S. doesn’t have an extradition agreement with Li’s home country China, and according to U.S. officials, he hasn’t traveled to any countries where they could seize him. Any information leading to the arrest of Li will be rewarded with up to $5 million, the U.S. State Department [said](http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/04/225338.htm "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/82221/karl-lee-li-fangwei-wanted-reward/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/82221/karl-lee-li-fangwei-wanted-reward/"},"headline":"Wanted: Li Fangwei, Alias Karl Lee. Reward: $5 Million","datePublished":"2014-04-30T08:11:36.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T07:34:29.967Z","description":"The U.S. is offering a huge reward for information on Chinese businessman Li Fangwei, alias Karl Lee, after accusing him of being a “principal supplier” of ballistic-missile parts to Iran. 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