Montgomery businessman convicted of helping Iran on satellite project In the mid-1990s, the Montgomery County businessman had the blessing of the U.S. government to launch one of the first commercial U.S. satellites on a Russian rocket. But prosecutors said Nader Modanlo later used his aerospace expertise and connections with Russia to help his native Iran launch a satellite of its own for the first time. After more than a week of deliberations, a jury of 11 women and one man agreed Monday, finding that Modanlo illegally facilitated a satellite deal between Iran and Russia and received a $10 million brokering fee. The jury also found Modanlo guilty of money laundering and obstruction for lying during a series of bankruptcy proceedings. (Larry Morris/The Washington Post) - Nader Modanlo in August 1999. Ann E. Marimow Prosecutors said Nader Modanlo, who was born in Iran, got $10 million for assisting in satellite project. Ann E. Marimow and Mike DeBonis Guilty plea to accepting $55,000 in cash suggests he is cooperating in of separate probe of businessman. Dan Morse Judge referred to "monstrous nature" of his crimes in court Monday. Prosecutors said they expect Modanlo, 52, to face significant jail time because of the amount of money involved. Federal guidelines call for an estimated sentence of 10 years. Modanlo's attorney, Lucius Outlaw, said he was disappointed by the verdict and would appeal. "Mr. Modanlo has been fighting to clear his name for nearly a decade," he said. Unfortunately, the fight will have to continue. The case against Modanlo that played out in federal court in Greenbelt last month had all the makings of an international mystery: meetings at a hotel in Moscow, allegations of documents written in code and a $10 million check that made its way from a Swiss bank account to Bowie. For 10 years, federal investigators pursued the former NASA contractor. Modanlo's attorneys said the government's case was built on fears about Iran. The $10 million, they said, was a legitimate loan for a start-up satellite business. Modanlo was convicted of conspiring to violate the government's long-standing embargo that prohibits U.S. citizens from directly or indirectly doing business with Iran. Prosecutors said Modanlo tried to get around the embargo by using a front company in Switzerland to conceal the involvement of Iran and funnel money to his bank account. The international elements of the case presented unusual challenges for the government. There were no witnesses from Russia or Iran who testified to firsthand knowledge of Modanlo's involvement in the alleged deal; some witness interviews had to be translated; and documents had to be secured from Russia and Switzerland. From the beginning of deliberations, the foreperson of the jury said in an interview Monday, "there was no doubt in anyone's mind that these acts were committed. It was a question of what the government had to prove. The foreperson, who asked not to be named, said that "there were very heated debates because there was no direct testimony - everything was on paper." To make its case, the government relied on a paper trail that included documents that prosecutors said contained Modanlo's handwritten notes. In the briefcase of one of Modanlo's business associates, investigators found a folder marked "Nader" with correspondence between Russia and Iran about a planned satellite launch. Other documents from Modanlo's company, prosecutors said, referred to Iran using code words such as "foreign customer" or "beneficiary."