( CNN ) -- An Iranian citizen and an airline pilot from Kentucky pleaded guilty to violating U.S. export law on Monday through a scheme to send aircraft and parts to Iran for civilian use . Hamid Asefi , an Iranian citizen , and Behzad `` Tony '' Karimian , a U.S. citizen who also has an Iranian passport , each face up to 40 years in prison and a $ 500,000 fine when sentenced in March . Asefi , 68 , was identified in court documents as the principal officer of Aster Corp Ltd , which is described as an Iranian company that also had an office in Britain . Karimian , 53 , was identified as a pilot for Mesaba Airlines , a regional carrier . The two were arrested in June . An August indictment was unsealed on Monday just before they entered guilty pleas in federal court in Louisville . According to the two-count indictment , the men conspired to and also actually violated U.S. law by exporting aircraft or parts to Iran . Prosecutors said Asefi used his company 's office in Britain as a point to get goods from the United States and ship them through third parties . The indictment said Asefi sent requests to Karimian to buy aircraft and parts in the United States . Karimian placed orders and helped make purchases on behalf on Asefi and people in Iran . Court documents said Asefi and Karamian violated the Iranian ban by arranging sales of Bell Helicopters and aircraft engines produced by General Electric from September 2009 through April 2010 . Prosecutors said the helicopters and engines were intended for civilian use . Prosecutors said Asefi and Karimian were well aware they were violating an embargo on sales to Iran . The indictment quotes a 2007 e-mail Asefi sent to Karimian about working together . The e-mail said in part `` ... remember that , only US Embargo has brought this chance and benefit to us , to get involved in these deals ... ''
Iranian citizen and a pilot for the airline plead guilty in court . Indictment said the violations were sales of helicopters , engine parts for civilian aircraft . Each face up to 40 years in prison for violating the ban .