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Agents seize arms, docs at CW scam defendant’s house
Federal agents searched last Friday the residence on Saipan of one of six defendants facing charges in a CW-1 scam that victimized Bangladeshi nationals.
Assistant U.S. attorney James J. Benedetto informed the U.S. District Court for the NMI on Monday that the U.S. government executed a search warrant at the house of Muksedur Rahman.
Several weapons and various documents were seized during the search, Benedetto told the court.
He did not indicate the type of weapons seized.
Benedetto also informed the court that the U.S. government will file a proposed indictment, charging Rahman and co-defendants with just six charges instead of the original 17.
He also disclosed that the U.S. government obtained from Bangladesh the statements of those who witnessed a victim or victims paying the defendants or someone acting on their behalf.
He has yet to receive bank records from the Central Bank of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
Benedetto recently informed the court that the U.S. government may obtain sooner than expected the bank and business records being sought from Bangladesh.
Benedetto said their request for bank records for family members in Bangladesh of some defendants in the case had reached the financial investigation unit of the Central Bank of Bangladesh.
Benedetto said the Central Bank of Bangladesh personnel have assured that the U.S. government will be getting the records soon.
Rahman and his co-schemers allegedly instructed at least 12 victims to make payments to Rahman’s various relatives and in-laws who live in that country.
Some of the payments were made in cash directly to a co-schemer of Rahman, and some were deposited directly into the accounts of his family members and in-laws.
The superseding indictment charged the defendants with 17 counts such as mail fraud, fraud in foreign labor contracting, and fraud and misuse of visas and permits. The jury trial will be Aug. 15, 2017. Designated Judge John C. Coughenour will preside over the trial.
