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JORDANIAN
CITIZEN RESIDING IN EASTON PLEADS GUILTY TO FRAUD,
MONEY LAUNDERING, IMMIGRATION AND TAX OFFENSES
Kevin J. O'Connor,
United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced
that FARES KHRAISAT, 38, a citizen of Jordan last residing in Easton,
Connecticut, pleaded guilty today before United States District
Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to federal charges related
to his participation in a commercial bribery scheme, as well as
tax and immigration offenses.
According
to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court,
KHRAISAT owned and operated Zam-Zam Telecard, Inc., a Bridgeport-based
phone card company. In pleading guilty, KHRAISAT admitted that he
paid more than $400,000 in bribe payments to Jonathan Kaplan, a
co-defendant, in order to receive favorable treatment from Kaplan's
company. KHRAISAT also admitted that he and others provided between
$400,000 and $500,000 in cash, which represented proceeds of illegal
activity, to several other co-defendants, who then transferred the
funds to a bank account in Jordan, via Hong Kong. KHRAISAT also
admitted that he made false statements on an immigration application
and his 2005 tax returns.
Today, KHRAISAT
pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy
to commit money laundering, one count of making a false statement
on an immigration application, and one count of making a false statement
on a tax return.
Judge Underhill
has scheduled sentencing for May 1, 2008, at which time KHRAISAT
faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 53 years. KHRAISAT also
has agreed to forfeit a house that he purchased for $1.9 million,
his business property that he purchased for more than $1 million,
a car that he purchased for $200,000 in cash, $50,000 in cash that
was seized from him, as well as a Rolex watch that he purchased
for $38,000. KHRAISAT also faces possible deportation.
On November
14, 2007, Jonathan Kaplan pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud
and one count of tax evasion. He awaits sentencing.
On January
31, 2008, KHRAISAT's wife, Jumana Qutishat, also known as "Jumana
Quitshat" or "Jumana Khraisat," pleaded guilty to
obtaining citizenship by fraud. Qutishat participated in a sham
marriage in order to obtain U.S. citizenship. She then sought to
help her true husband, KHRAISAT, obtain citizenship based on her
own, fraudulently obtained citizenship. Qutishat awaits sentencing.
This case is
being investigated by the United States Secret Service; the Federal
Bureau of Investigation; the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal
Investigation Division; the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration
and Custom Enforcement; the United States Department of State, Diplomatic
Security Service, and the Connecticut State Police. The case is
being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David A. Ring.
CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov
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