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Extradition Lawyers

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

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Extradition Ordered for Former TV Producer Accused in Wife's Murder

McNabb Associates, P.C. (U.S. Extradition Attorneys)
Submitted at 9:57 AM July 27, 2011

A federal judge in Los Angeles issued an order yesterday certifying that a former reality show producer has met the legal requirements to be extradited to Mexico to face charges of killing his wife while they were vacationing in Cancun. Bruce Beresford-Redman's lawyers said they would appeal the judge's order. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian wrote in the 17-page document that "sufficient evidence has been presented to establish probable cause that BeresfordRedman ... committed the offense for which extradition has been sought, namely the aggravated homicide of Monica Burgos Beresford-Redman. ... the court concludes that Beresford-Redman is extraditable for the offense for which extradition has been requested." Defense attorney Richard G. Hirsch said he has two or three weeks to file an appeal with the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. If that fails, the case could eventually be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Beresford Redman is charged in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, with aggravated homicide in the death of his 41-year-old wife of 11 years. Her nude, beaten body was found at a Cancun resort on April 8, 2010, three days after her husband reported her missing. Mexican authorities collected evidence that allegedly suggests that Beresford-Redman killed the West Los Angeles restaurant owner

and then dumped her body in a sewer 25 meters from their room at the hotel where they were staying with their two children. At a July 12 hearing in Los Angeles federal court, Hirsch and co-counsel Vicki Podberesky argued against extradition, claiming statements from the couple's 6year-old daughter suggest the couple were getting along during the trip and there was no evidence of a fight. "If the court looks at this evidence through the lens of common sense," no proof exists to suggest Beresford-Redman committed the murder, Hirsch argued then. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Rhoades countered that BeresfordRedman allegedly killed his wife for three reasons -- insurance money, custody of the children, and to continue an extramarital affair with a co-worker. "So, the fugitive had a motive to murder his wife," Rhoades told Chooljian earlier this month. The prosecutor further argued that there were "very strong grounds" to suggest Beresford-Redman was "lying in wait" for the victim and had an "unfair advantage" over her in terms of strength and size. Rhoades said that during the final year of the couple's marriage, Beresford-Redman became increasingly aggressive toward his wife, particularly after she found out about her husband's affair. According to papers filed by U.S. prosecutors, Monica BeresfordRedman was struck on the head with a bat-like object, her face was pummeled and her body sustained

trauma consistent with being thrown against the hotel-room Jacuzzi. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation. The prosecutor alleged the "victim fought back," leaving scratches and bruises on her husband's head and body. Defense attorneys maintain the injuries were the result of a Cancun jungle boat trip the family took days earlier. Police searched the couple's hotel room and allegedly found blood spatter throughout the bathroom, on a pillow, on a piece of furniture and on a balcony leading to a garden, according to court documents. On the day his wife disappeared, prosecutors allege BeresfordRedman placed a "Do Not Disturb" placard on their hotel room door and refused to allow the maid to clean until a day later. Rhoades said that hours before he reported his wife missing, the suspect's electronic room key card shows the door was opened and closed several times around 4 a.m., possibly to "see if the coast is clear before disposing of a dead Podberesky discounted such potential evidence, saying that all Mexican prosecutors have against her client is "the idea of motive." Beresford-Redman left Cancun after his wife's death and was arrested seven months later by U.S. authorities at his Rancho Palos Verdes home. "His last act in Mexico was to flee across the border ... from prosecution," Rhoades said earlier. The couple's two young children are in the custody of their paternal grandparents.

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To find additional global criminal news, please read The Global Criminal Defense Daily. Douglas McNabb and other members of the U.S. law firm practice and write extensively on matters involving Federal Criminal Defense, INTERPOL Red Notice Removal, International Extradition and OFAC SDN List Removal. The author of this blog is Douglas McNabb. Please feel free to contact him directly at mcnabb@mcnabbassociates.com or at one of the offices listed above.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

on essentially the same charges in March, were convicted by a jury and face mandatory life sentences. Fusco, on the other hand, fought extradition from Italy after the charges were brought, was excluded from that trial and is now scheduled to be tried alone in U.S. District Court in March 2012. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel told the attorneys the bail argument wasnt even a close call. While on bail and on electronic monitoring, Mr. Fusco participated in two murders, Castel said, drawing from the evidence and testimony in the March 2011 trial. Fusco had been released on bail on a 2000 racketeering charge. Castel said he wasnt going to let Fusco learn from past mistakes and get out on bail simply to flee to another country with no extradition treaty with the United States. Prosecutors successfully argued to Castel that Fusco fled after news reports began circulating that former mob soldier Anthony J. Arillotta, of Springfield, had joined ranks with the government shortly after his arrest last year and led them to the body of Gary Westerman, a Bruno associate who disappeared three weeks after Bruno was murdered. The FBI and Massachusetts State Police descended on a wooded lot in Agawam, Mass., in April 2010, recovering Westermans remains. Arillotta testified at the Geases trial in March 2011 that he, the Geases and Fusco teamed up to shoot and bludgeon Westerman, Arillottas brother-in-law, and then bury him in the woods. They correctly believed Westerman was a police informant and Fusco allegedly was recruited to aid in the killing just three weeks after Bruno was gunned down outside his regular Sunday night card game at an Italian social club. Witnesses said Bruno was killed because Fusco began circulating a court record from a loan-sharking case (to which he pleaded guilty

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and was sentenced to prison) confirming Bruno had spoken to an FBI agent about Fuscos status in the Mafia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas McQuaid told Castel that the theoretical arguments prosecutors usually make urging pretrial detainment of organized crime figures who could pose a threat to witnesses against them is a foregone conclusion in Fuscos case. Theres no need to go there. Hes guilty. Hes killed people for these things, McQuaid said during a lengthy hearing on Tuesday. Fusco has denied all allegations; his lawyer argued that he had traveled to Italy to attend his sisters 50th birthday party and to other family and business matters. Defense lawyer William I. Aronwald told Castel that Fusco flew out on April 13, 2010, three days before his sisters birthday but admittedly amid widespread media reports of the Westerman dig. Aronwald contended his return was delayed by his mothers poor health, an Icelandic volcanic eruption and buisiness negotiations over a tire recycling contract back in the states. (The government) has not presented one witness who said Emilio Fusco said he was leaving the country because he knows the jig was up and he was about to be indicted, Aronwald argued, adding that he routinely traveled to see his mother and siblings in Italy but has a wife, three children, a home and had a Dumpster business in Western Massachusetts. Fusco became a naturalized citizen in 1996 after immigrating to this country in 1991 and later marrying. At issue in Italy was whether Fusco would face the death penalty and whether he was technically charged with murder. That country opposes extradition of its citizens under those circumstances, according to Aronwald. Because the structure of

Mobster Emilio Fusco Denied Bail in Al Bruno Murder Case

McNabb Associates, P.C. (U.S. Extradition Attorneys)
Submitted at 10:24 AM July 27, 2011

A federal judge emphatically denied a motion by mobster Emilio Fusco to be released on bail as he awaits trial on racketeering charges that include the 2003 murders of mob boss Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno and another organized crime associate in Western Massachusetts. Emilio Fusco, 42, of Longmeadow, Mass., moved to be released from prison and placed on house arrest while he also is appealing an extradition order by a judge in his native Italy that saw him transferred to the United States in May. Fusco was arrested in Italy in July 2009 after being indicted in a Manhattan court along with other local gangsters and the onetime acting boss of the Genovese crime family. Mob enforcers Fotios and Ty Geas, of West Springfield, Mass., and Westfield, Mass., respectively, and then-capo Arthur Artie Nigro, of Bronx, N.Y., went to trial

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Fuscos indictment on the murder counts is murky, Fusco is appealing the extradition order, his lawyer said. This article was written by Stephanie Barry and published by MassLive.com on July 26, 2011. To find additional global criminal news, please read The Global Criminal Defense Daily. Douglas McNabb and other members of the U.S. law firm practice and write extensively on matters involving Federal Criminal Defense, INTERPOL Red Notice Removal, International Extradition and OFAC SDN List Removal. The author of this blog is Douglas McNabb. Please feel free to contact him directly at mcnabb@mcnabbassociates.com or at one of the offices listed above.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

convinced that Ekhator should be extradited to the US to stand trial on charges against him at the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The court ordered the US Embassy and the Federal Government to perfect his travel arrangement and ensure his extradition within 15 days. The three-count charge marked 10-244 was part of documents from the US Department of State exhibited before the court by the prosecuting lawyer, Mr. Islam Hassan of the Federal Ministry of Justice. Ekhator, who is said to be a member of a syndicate that specializes in internet fraud, is accused of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, involvement in mail and wire frauds and money laundering. Most of the offenses are said to attract a maximum of 20 years imprisonment. He was said to have evaded arrest in the US last year and escaped to Nigeria. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was said to have placed him on its watch list. He was found in Benin, Edo State, where he was arrested earlier this year by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). EFCC, in a supporting affidavit to the extradition application, said Ekhator, who holds a Masters degree from the University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, resided in Canada with his wife, Nkechi. The commission described Ekhator as the arrowhead of a ring of fraudsters operating between Canada, US and the Asian Peninsula. Allegedly, Ekhator and his gang defrauded about 70 US law firms of over $29 million between August 2008 and August 2010. EFCC said its investigation revealed that Ekhator and his gang simply contacts law firms through e-mails, posing as potential clients, claiming to be representatives of

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foreign companies, seeking legal representation to help negotiate and collect, on their behalf, claims and settlement in cases like real estate transaction, divorce or torts. This article was written by Erci Ikhilae and published by The Nation on July 27, 2011. To find additional global criminal news, please read The Global Criminal Defense Daily. Douglas McNabb and other members of the U.S. law firm practice and write extensively on matters involving Federal Criminal Defense, INTERPOL Red Notice Removal, International Extradition and OFAC SDN List Removal. The author of this blog is Douglas McNabb. Please feel free to contact him directly at mcnabb@mcnabbassociates.com or at one of the offices listed above.

Nigerian Accused of Defrauding US Law Firms Ordered to be Extradited to the US

McNabb Associates, P.C. (U.S. Extradition Attorneys)
Submitted at 11:06 AM July 27, 2011

Yesterday, a Federal High Court in Lagos, Nigeria granted an application by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, for the extradition of a Canada-based Nigerian, Emmanuel Ekhator, who is wanted in the United States for alleged criminal conducts. Ekhator is wanted in the US over his alleged link with a group that defrauded some US law firms of about $29 million. Justice Fatimat Nyako held that with the evidence provided by the prosecution, the court was

Men Arrested in NarcoTerrorism Undercover Operation Await Extradition to US

McNabb Associates, P.C. (U.S. Extradition Attorneys)
Submitted at 11:55 AM July 27, 2011

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on July 26, 2011 released the following: Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Arrests in DEA NarcoTerrorism Undercover Operations. Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michele M. Leonhart, the Administrator of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced the unsealing of two indictments

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resulting from two DEA narcoterrorism undercover operations. First, an indictment against Siavosh Henareh, Bachar Wehbe, and Cetin Aksu for conspiring to provide various forms of support to Hizballah Second, an indictment against Taza Gul Alizai ("Gul") for narcoterrorism conspiracy, narcoterrorism, and heroin importation related to his supplying of 15 kilograms of heroin and six AK-47 assault rifles to a DEA confidential source. Gul believed the confidential source represented the Taliban. Henareh and Aksu were arrested Monday in Bucharest, Romania, where they were detained pending extradition to the United States. Wehbe and Gul were arrested Monday in the Republic of the Maldives, and arrived in the Southern District of New York early Tuesday. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated, "Today's indictments provide fresh evidence of what many of us have been saying for some time: that there is a growing nexus between drug trafficking and terrorism, a nexus that increasingly poses a clear and present danger to our national security. Combating this lethal threat requires a bold and proactive approach. And as crime increasingly goes global, and national security threats remain global, the long arm of the law has to get even longer." DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart stated, "These DEA operations starkly illustrate how drug trafficking is a double threat that fuels both addiction and terrorism. We have successfully targeted, and substantially dismantled two dangerous and complex networks; stopped efforts to arm Hizaballah and Taliban terrorists; and prevented massive amounts of heroin from reaching illicit markets around the world. Those responsible for these crimes

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

will now face trial due to the brave and talented men and women of the DEA, the skilled federal prosecutors of the Southern District of New York, and the extraordinary cooperation of our many international and federal agency partners, all whom were instrumental in the success of these DEA operations." Charges Against Henareh, Wehbe, and Aksu As alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: Beginning in June 2010, Henareh had a series of meetings in countries including Turkey, Romania, and Greece with DEA confidential sources (the "CSs"), at least one of whom represented themselves as an associate of Hizballah. During those meetings, and in a series of telephone calls, Henareh agreed to arrange the importation of hundreds of kilograms of high quality heroin into the United States. The CSs represented to Henareh that the profits from the sale of the heroin in the United States would be used, among other things, to purchase weapons for Hizballah. In April 2011, in Bucharest, Romania, the CSs received a one-kilogram sample of heroin from Henareh's co-conspirator in anticipation of a future, multi-hundred kilogram load. As a result of their meetings with Henareh, the CSs were later introduced to Aksu and Wehbe. Beginning in February 2011, in Romania, Cyprus, Malaysia, and elsewhere, Aksu and Wehbe agreed to purchase military grade weaponry from the CSs on behalf of Hizballah. In those meetings, and in telephone calls and email messages, Aksu and Wehbe discussed the purchase of American-made Stinger surface-toair missiles ("SAMs"), Igla SAMs, AK 47 and M4 assault rifles, M107 .50 caliber sniper rifles, and ammunition, from (among other

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places) an American base in Germany. On June 13, 2011, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Aksu and Wehbe signed a written contract for the purchase of 48 American-made Stinger SAMs, 100 Igla SAMs, 5,000 AK 47 assault rifles, 1,000 M4 rifles, and 1,000 Glock handguns, for a total price of approximately $9.5 million. During the course of the weapons negotiation, Wehbe stated that he was purchasing the weapons on instructions from Hizballah. Shortly thereafter, Wehbe and others caused approximately $100,000 to be transferred to the CSs as a down payment for the weapons purchase, including a $50,000 wire transfer to an undercover bank account. In coordination with Romanian authorities, Henareh and Aksu were arrested in Bucharest, Romania, on July 25, 2011. In coordination with authorities in the Republic of the Maldives, Wehbe was detained in that country on July 25, 2011. Wehbe was transferred to DEA custody and transported to the Southern District of New York. Wehbe will make his first appearance this afternoon in Manhattan federal court. The Superseding Indictment in U.S. v. Siavosh Henareh, et al. charges defendants Henareh, Aksu, and Wehbe with the following counts: Count One charges Henareh and Aksu with conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, knowing or intending that the heroin would be imported into the United States, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 959 and 963; Count Two charges Aksu and Wehbe with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization -- namely, Hizballah -- in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339B; and

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Count Three charges Aksu and Wehbe with conspiracy to acquire and transfer anti aircraft missiles, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2332g. The maximum and, in some cases, mandatory minimum penalties for these offenses are as follows: Count One of the Indictment -life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison; Count Two of the Indictment 15 years in prison; and Count Three of the Indictment -life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 25 years in prison. Charges Against Taza "Gul" Alizai According to the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: In May 2008, in the vicinity of Kandahar, Afghanistan, Gul sold approximately five kilograms of heroin to a DEA confidential source (the "CS"). Approximately two years later, Gul arranged for the sale of six AK-47 assault rifles and an additional 10 kilograms of heroin to the CS, who purported to represent the Taliban. In connection with the May 2010 transaction, Gul and the CS discussed, among other things, that the heroin sold by Gul to the CS was destined for the United States, and that the proceeds from the sale of the heroin were to be paid to the Taliban. Gul understood that the assault rifles would be supplied to the Taliban. In exchange for the heroin and the AK-47 rifles, the CS paid Gul and a co-conspirator $31,000. During the negotiations, Guls co-conspirator explained to the CS that heroin laboratories in Afghanistan were under Taliban protection. In coordination with authorities in the Republic of the Maldives, Gul was detained in that country on July 25, 2011. He was then transferred to DEA custody and transported back to the Southern

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

District of New York. Gul will make his first appearance this afternoon in Manhattan federal court. The Indictment in U.S. v. Taza Gul Alizai charges defendant Gul with the following counts: Count One charges Gul with conspiracy to engage in narco terrorism, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 960a; Count Two charges Gul with engaging in narco terrorism, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 960a; Count Three charges Gul with conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, knowing or intending that the heroin would be imported into the United States, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 959 and 963; and Count Four charges Gul with distributing one kilogram or more of heroin, knowing or intending that the heroin would be imported into the United States, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 959 and 960. The maximum and, in some cases, minimum penalties for these offenses are as follows: Count One life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison; Count Two life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison; Count Three life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison; and Count Four life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison. The charges, arrests, and transfers of these four defendants were the result of the close cooperative efforts of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the Special Operations Division of the DEA, and the DEA Country Offices in: Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Copenhagen, New Delhi, Athens, Cyprus, and Kabul.

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Mr. Bharara expressed his gratitude to the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative Regional Center for Combating TransBorder Crime, the Romanian National Police, the Turkish National Police, the Malaysian National Police, the Greek Hellenic Police, the Cyprus National Police, the Estonian authorities, and the Maldives Police Service. He also thanked the U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of Justice's National Security Division, the U.S. National Central Bureau of Interpol and Interpol Headquarters in Lyon, France, the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, and the U.S. Department of State for their assistance. These two cases are being handled by the Office's Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Naftalis, Adam S. Hickey, and Edward Kim are in charge of the prosecutions. The charges and allegations contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. To find additional global criminal news, please read The Global Criminal Defense Daily. Douglas McNabb and other members of the U.S. law firm practice and write extensively on matters involving Federal Criminal Defense, INTERPOL Red Notice Removal, International Extradition and OFAC SDN List Removal. The author of this blog is Douglas McNabb. Please feel free to contact him directly at mcnabb@mcnabbassociates.com or at one of the offices listed above.

Quaids Remain Defiant of

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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

placed on probation after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor. The Quaids behavior and statements have led many to question their sanity. Randy Quaid says hes not bothered by that but wants to be recognized for his acting again. What I wish more than anything is that I could start getting press about my work as an actor, he said in the Friday interview. That is what I do. Im not a criminal. Fugitive warrants issued by a Santa Barbara judge remain active. Theyre fraudulent warrants as far as were concerned, Evi Quaid said. Randy Quaid is no more a fugitive from America than Uncle Sam is. I mean, hes the star of Independence Day. Her husband also appeared in the Vacation films and Brokeback Mountain. This article was published by the Journal Gazette on July 25, 2011. To find additional global criminal news, please read The Global Criminal Defense Daily. Douglas McNabb and other members of the U.S. law firm practice and write extensively on matters involving Federal Criminal Defense, INTERPOL Red Notice Removal, International Extradition and OFAC SDN List Removal. The author of this blog is Douglas McNabb. Please feel free to contact him directly at mcnabb@mcnabbassociates.com or at one of the offices listed above.

Fraudulent Charges After Extradition Refused

McNabb Associates, P.C. (U.S. Extradition Attorneys)
Submitted at 12:54 AM July 27, 2011

Randy Quaid says he would like to return to the United States one day, but he and his wife still fear they are being persecuted by California prosecutors and tabloid media. Although U.S. officials recently refused to seek extradition of the actor and his wife from Canada to face felony vandalism charges in Santa Barbara, Calif., authorities in the coastal town say theyll still have the couple arrested if they return to the States. The Quaids, who have missed several court appearances in the case, claim they are the victims of corrupt forces and are demanding an investigation. I feel like weve been driven out of the country and that the doors been slammed behind us, Quaid said in a phone interview from British Columbia on Friday. And for what, these phony little trespassing, vandalism charges? Santa Barbara can sleep better tonight knowing the Quaids are out of their hair. The couples current trouble began in September 2010, when they were arrested on charges of causing more than $5,000 damage at a hillside home they were renting. It was the second bout of trouble for the couple in Santa Barbara. Months earlier the pair resolved a case in which they also missed several court appearances related to charges they defrauded an innkeeper; the case against the actor was dropped, but his wife was