NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A New Jersey father and son, along with an accomplice from the Bronx, were indicted last week for allegedly conspiring to illegally transmit more than $65 million between the U.S. and several countries in the Middle East, prosecutors said.
Abdulkader Noori Hamza, 62, Mohanad Al-Zubaidi, 36, of Piscataway, New Jersey and Shaker Saleh Mohammed Hauter, 51, of the Bronx were charged on Feb. 2, with one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business to countries in the Middle East, including Yemen, Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. Al-Zubaidi was also charged with bank fraud.
According to the indictment, from 2018 through 2022, Hamza, Al-Zubaidi and Hauter allegedly operated an unlicensed money transfer business “hawala,” facilitating hundreds of illicit money transfers.
“These three men are charged with moving more than $65 million in illegal proceeds to the Middle East,” IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso said. “Hawala networks are known to facilitate money laundering and fund criminal organizations abroad, and our investigations look to shut down these networks and stop the flow of dirty money. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to following the money to protect the United States from these threats, and we are resolute in building criminal cases against these illicit organizations.”
For every transaction, the three allegedly earned a commission between one and six percent. To be able to manage these transfers, Hamza, Al-Zubaidi and Hauter allegedly worked with other international members of money brokers to get the money through.
Hamza, Al-Zubaidi and Hauter allegedly faked the operation of at least four companies based in Texas or New Jersey: Itaqwen, LLC, Mirage Energies Inc., Mirage Auto Group Inc., and Mirage Life Style Inc, according to the indictment.
Al-Zubaidi allegedly falsely represented to banks that he used the Mirage Companies to operate an international trading and investment business or to sell cars to open bank accounts and transfer funds through those accounts, according to court documents.
He was not operating a legitimate automobile business, according to the indictment.
In the span of nearly four years, “illicit money brokers based outside of the United States contacted Al-Zubaidi directly — or through other money brokers like Hauter— to enlist Al-Zubaidi to transfer money to others on their behalf in exchange for a fee,” the indictment alleged.
Hamza, who is Al-Zubaidi's father, helped him with the operation. According to the indictment, Hamza would collect cash from others involved and either give it to Al-Zubaidi or buy money orders. He then put those money orders into bank accounts for the Mirage Companies, which were used to send money illegally.
Hauter allegedly ran his own unlicensed money transfer business based in the Bronx, and served as an intermediary money broker for Al-Zubaidi and Hamza.
Hauter allegedly often set up illegal money transfers for Al-Zubaidi and Hamza by sending customers to them or having them handle transactions for his customers. He also connected Al-Zubaidi with foreign money brokers for more illegal transfers. He would also make a commission off the transaction, according to the indictment.
“This indictment demonstrates our continued efforts to target and disrupt alleged illicit financial networks that are used every day to criminally transfer proceeds across international borders,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. “Our commitment remains to exposing these unlawful networks and to prosecute those who operate them to the fullest extent of the law.”
Al-Zubaidi was arrested on Thursday at his home in New Jersey. Hauter was arrested last night at John F. Kennedy International Airport while trying to board a flight to Turkey. Hamza is currently at large.