Mahmoud Reza Banki (Persian: محمودرضا بانکی‎; born 1976) is an Iranian-American scientist and management consultant. Born in Tehran, Iran, Banki immigrated to the US to attend college and became a naturalized US citizen in the 1990s. In January 2010, Banki was arrested and charged with violating US sanctions against Iran by the United States Attorney's office in New York City. Ultimately Banki won his case on appeal, and it was permanently closed in July 2012. Banki spoke about his case at a TED Talk in 2014, presenting a case for change in criminal justice. As of 2015 a documentary film about the case was being made. In The Moth podcast released January 2017, Banki spoke to the personal toll of the ordeal. Banki has also spoken before various audiences for the cause of improving the crimi