Michigan Man's Fake $12 Million Is a Mystery - Officials look for terror link (a Chechen?)

Detroit Free Press ^ | July 19, 2002 | DAVID ASHENFELTER

[Shermy]

He slipped into the country, federal agents say, with $12 million in phony cashier's checks stuffed in his baggage.

But what he planned to do with them remains a mystery.

His actions have drawn the attention of the U.S. Attorney's Anti-Terrorism Task Force, which is trying to determine whether there are terrorist links.

[Shermy]

During Thursday's hearing, court workers said they hadn't determined his nationality or whether Shishani is a U.S. citizen.

Just how long has he been here? What is he "self-employed" as? I did a web search of the name. The hits that came up showed that "Shishani" is almost exclusively Chechen, some hits for Jordan and Egypt. Food for thought.

[dennisw]

Seems like every second adult Muslim male has some kind of racket or scam going on.

[Shermy]

Some additonal info from au updated article:

---

"....Shishani was charged in a criminal complaint with knowingly making or possessing a forged security, said Gina Balaya, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Detroit. The accusations weren't discussed during Friday's hearing.

Outside the courtroom, assistant U.S. attorney Eric Straus, who appeared on behalf of the government, said authorities Thursday night searched Shishani's home in the suburb of Dearborn.

Straus, a member of the area's anti-terrorism task force, which includes federal, state and local authorities, declined to reveal what, if anything, was found. He said no one else was detained following the search, and the search warrant had been sealed.

Evidence from the search might be introduced Wednesday if a preliminary hearing and detention hearing take place as scheduled, Straus said.

Straus also wouldn't say whether the checks were made out to Shishani, to others or to cash.

Shishani said at a hearing Thursday that he is a naturalized U.S. citizen and a salesman who hasn't earned any commissions this year. He said his wife is a resident alien from Japan.

Straus confirmed that Shishani is a naturalized citizen who has been in the United States for several years. He said Shishani was born in Jordan.

Shishani moved to Michigan from California in the mid-1990s. He filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in 1991.

[The Energizer]

The latest story I read said he is from Jordan, and his wife is from Japan.

[Shermy]

Yep, Jordan.
there was a Chechen military leader in the 18th century with the name, maybe a lot there adopted it.

[The Energizer]

You need to check out the other thread on this. Freepers are speculating that perhaps he was a future sucide bomber being paid with phony money.

[Shermy]

You have the title of link or hyperlink? I did a search, thought I was the first. I hate to do that. :)

[The Energizer]

The title of the other thread is:

"Man arrested at airport with $12 million in phony checks, terrorism task force investigating"

Freepers also have mentioned the possible Chechen link.

[Shermy]

Never mind. Man arrested at airport with $12 million in phony checks, terrorism task force investigating

Floks there say "Shishani" means "Chechen" in Arabic.

Admin - maybe you should lock this thread.

[leadhead]

A Chechen? Naw, a Democrat fundraiser!

[billhilly]

Just trying to boost the economy in Dearborn

[knarf]

"Freepers are speculating that perhaps he was a future sucide bomber being paid with phony money."

Nope ... I think he was either a mule or trying to set himself up.

In any case, the word is out ... the cash is trash and whatever the plan(s) was/were, they're cooked now.

[Catspaw]

Why am I not surprised he's from Dearborn.

[cake_crumb]

Doesn't Dearborn have a HUGE Muslim population?

[IronJack]

Maybe he was just in this country to do some shopping at the duty-free stores. Office supplies! That's it. He was buying legal pads for his company in Yemen. Or toiletries. You know how those Arabs like their deodorant.

[cake_crumb]

"Why am I not surprised he's from Dearborn"

LOL...yep. Must be I got the right town.

[Catspaw]

Dearborn, Hezbollah on the Detroit.

I think they're going to find out ALL kinds of interesting info as they investigate this case...and al Qaeda has been very busy in Indonesia.

[Tacis]

I am puzzled by how the checked were discovered. I've come into the US many times with a suitcase and a briefcase stuffed with files and folders. It would have taken quite a while to through each piece of paper. There had to be tip on this guy.

Actually, if you use tourist mailers or envelopes from the Sheraton Hotel, why would these simply have been mailed home? Something just doesn't sound right.

[cake_crumb]

Yep...AND the Indonesian connection. Forgot to add that. I'm definitely getting brain dead now. This guy ran the full circuit in a really short time.

I'm sure we'll be hearing more on this one.

[lawdog]

The man is a courier of sorts, muling the funny money to a hotbed of M/E O.C./ terror type groups in Dearborn, MI.He came from Indonesia another center of radical Islam hankey pankey.The "funny money checks" were either going to be laundered for legtimate cash or to be used in a narco/ O.C. related enterprise which in turn would be used for terror/politico activities.

Notice Vegas being mentioned ? Vegas is a good place to launder illicit proceeds and Nevada is very active with the M/E's who are in the "meth business" throughout the west but particularly in California.

If the checks were of "good quality" I would suspect a far eastern connection ,hence Indonesia, the asian's are among the best counterfieters in the world. Yet, with today's computer technology and laser printer's everybody is gettin' in on the act.