Ghanem, a 53-year-old naturalized American citizen, pleaded guilty to multiple federal crimes at his trial in November. He was accused of negotiating the sale of Russian-made missile systems to a Libyan armed faction in 2015. Prosecutors said Ghanem had negotiated salaries and organized travel for mercenaries who would receive $50,000 if they successfully shot down planes belonging to the internationally recognized Libyan government.
US authorities were alerted to Ghanem in 2014 after he approached a Los Angeles-based defense manufacturer. Undercover Homeland Security agents made contact with Ghanem in Athens and agreed to "sell" him more than $200,000 worth of weapons including sniper rifles and night-vision equipment, all "under the table."