|
Jordanian stays in jail in scam
 A Jordanian national accused of laundering at least $6 million via fraudulent schemes will remain behind bars because of fear he will flee the country before he can be tried. "At this point the case is strong," said U.S. Magistrate Holly B. Fitzsimmons said of the charges facing Fares Khraisat, 37, of Judd Road, Easton and owner of Zam Zam Telecard Inc., 2690 East Main St. "He knows he's going to be deported and his wife is going to be deported. That's a powerful incentive to flee."Khraisat and his wife, Jumana Qutishat, 29, were among five people arrested Friday when the FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Secret Service pulled the wraps off a two-year money-laundering and immigration-fraud case. Agents detained 10 illegal immigrants found working at Zam Zam Telecard and being paid "under the table," according to Assistant U.S. Attorney David Ring. Khraisat and his wife face deportation because Ring said the government has proof that she participated in a sham marriage with a U.S. citizen so she could stay in the country. She then divorced the citizen and married Khraisat, with whom she already had two children, allowing him to stay in the country. "She admitted this to agents from INS," Ring said, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. "That makes it highly, highly, highly unlikely of either of them maintaining citizenship here." Khraisat and Amer Ramzi Chanal, 46, of Forest Hills, N.Y. both pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the numerous charges they face. Any trial will take place before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall. Chanal was caught Oct. 26, 2006 leaving Khraisat's store with a box containing $50,000 cash. The plan was to move the money to a bank in Hong Kong and then to a bank in Jordan, the prosecution charged. Ring also said Khraisat owns the $1.5 million strip mall where Zam Zam is located, while his wife owns a home on Quarry Road in Monroe worth at least $600,000, with no mortgage. Khraisat also has at least $600,000 equity in his multi-million dollar Judd Road home in Easton, Ring said. Ring said Khraisat's cousin, Hamzeh, 38, is now in Jordan. Hamzeh Khraisat is accused of laundering money he got by selling high-priced jewelry that he bought using credit cards. The credit card bills were never paid and he fled to Jordan. Ring said Jordan will "not extradict" Hamzeh or allow the government to seize a $300,000 apartment Fares Khraisat bought there last year. Ira Grudberg, Fares Khraisat's lawyer, said none of the crimes is "heinous" and the fact the couple has three children and property is enough to keep him here. But Ring countered that Khraisat and his wife will be deported no matter whether they are convicted and sentenced to prison or acquitted. Posted by: Fred 2007-03-30 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=184406 |