Posted on 11/14/2002 8:34:01 PM PST by Shermy
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The arrest of Central Florida's most prominent Arab-American businessman during Thursday's raids of several gift shops in Orlando's tourist district could uncover evidence that the area's tourism industry was used to funnel money to terrorist organizations in the Middle East, according to Local 6 News.
Federal agents raided the gift shops Thursday and arrested their owners and managers for employing illegal workers and setting up shell companies to hide payments to them, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.
The arrests included Palestinian-American businessman Jesse I. Maali, 57, of Isleworth.
Maali and M. Saleem Khanani, 51, of Orlando were indicted along with three other men by a federal grand jury. They are accused of hiring 53 foreign nationals at seven local Big Bargain World shops.
The federal government is also reportedly investigating whether money Maali gave to charities went to worthy causes or whether it was used to fund terror, Local 6 Problem Solver Tony Pipitone reported.
A federal judge ordered Maali held without bond Thursday because of his "substantial financial ties to Middle East organizations that advocate violence."
"It's just a bunch of garbage," Maali's attorney, Mark Nejame, said. "It's a scare tactic. It's wrong. It's inappropriate. His biggest crime is that he's a Middle Eastern man in 2002. If they went ahead and arrested everybody in this country who is alleged to be employing illegal aliens, we would have half of American businessmen in prison."
Pipitone reported that searches at Maali's 12 businesses and at his $2.2 million home could turn up evidence that money from Orange County's tourist mecca was funneled to the Middle East.
Pipitone reported that all Maali admitted to was donating money to help support the Palestinian homeland.
"(The) American government supports Palestine," Nejame said. "Don't forget that. A Palestinian is not equated to terrorism. Get that out of your heads now."
Also indicted were Khan Aslam, 56, a van driver at Big Bargain World; Saeedullah Awan, 43, a store manager; and Mahmood Jamal, 48, a store general manager.
They could face up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine if convicted on the conspiracy to commit money laundering count, 10 years in prison and a $250,000 if convicted on the second conspiracy charge, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each immigration violation count.
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"Feds Raid Orlando Businesses; Arrest 5 For Illegal Immigration And Money Laundering (Florida)"
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Federal agents raided businesses in Orange and Osceola counties Thursday and arrested several people suspected of taking part in an illegal immigration and money laundering operation, according to Local 6 News.
Central Florida Organized Crime Task Force agents conducted search warrants Thursday morning at several businesses along International Drive and U.S. Highway 192. Five people and six businesses were indicted on 53 counts of encouraging and inducing aliens to reside in the United States, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.
Jesse I. Maali, 57, of Isleworth, and M. Saleen Khanani, 51, who own numerous businesses in Central Florida were among those arrested in the raids, Local 6 News reported.
Maali and Khanani are accused of illegally soliciting foreign nationals from the Middle East to come to Orlando to work for them. They are also accused of helping the workers at their businesses elude the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
According to an indictment, a scheme was allegedly devised to hide payments to those aliens and to disguise them as legitimate business transactions, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.
Maali and Khanani are accused of hiring as many as 53 foreign nationals at Big Bargain World shops. Central Florida businesses also named in the investigation included Jeans Unlimited, Denim Unlimited, Barakat Corp. and Barakat International.
Maali and Khanani were indicted along with three other men by a federal grand jury.
Both face up to 20 years in federal prison and fines of $500,000 if convicted of money laudering and violating immigration laws, according to the the U.S. Attorneys Office.
Sky 6 filmed police raiding one of the suspect's homes (pictured, right) in the Isleworth community Thursday afternoon.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this breaking news story.
This story is heating up. More possible Florida terrorism connections.
Oh no? Ask the first 200 million names that you can find in the phone book to fill in this blank: Palestinian ____________ What is the Palestinian product, the industry, the export that comes to mind? And who made it that way?
My curiosity is piqued. I wonder which groups?
Today's reports have the prosecutors saying we'll "find out" at the "bond hearing" on Monday. So, with the build up, it should be a big bang, or embarassing whimper.
Also, reports say that the investigation had been going on for three and a half years.
Relatives of Jesse Maali live near me. Since we moved into our house 3 1/2 years ago, we have noticed strange things from them.
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