Federal agents arrested three Miami men on illegal smuggling charges alleging the funds generated by the operation were being diverted to the Middle East terrorist group Hezbollah. The men are accused of exporting Sony Playstation video game systems to a shopping mall in Paraguay that U.S. officials believe is a front organization that provides financial support to the terrorist group Hezbollah.
The accused businessmen include Khaled T. Safedi, Ulises Talavera and Emilio Gonzalez-Neira who have been arrested on conspiracy charges for violating a law which makes it illegal to do business with any organization designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. The businessmen's companies were also named in an 11-count indictment, which has been unsealed.
The indictment does not expressly name the terrorist group that the men are accused of supporting but does name a shopping and office complex in Paraguay that is black-listed. The men allegedly sold thousands of Playstation 2 game systems and digital cameras to the commercial mall in Paraguay, Galeria Page. The U.S. authorities regard the mall as a funding source for the Lebanon based group Hezbollah.
A defense attorney representing one of the men was highly critical of the charges. He mockingly referred to the indictment as "the great Sony Playstation caper." He also said, "Believe it or not, this indictment actually charges these gentlemen with supporting Hezbollah by shipping them Sony Playstations. I guess this is the new type of weapon of mass destruction."
Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents working in conjunction with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in South Florida initiated the investigation into the alleged smuggling operation in 2007. Authorities claim that the men falsified invoices, addresses and fictitious consignees on required export documents to cover-up the illicit transactions. The Treasury Department alleges that a manager of Galeria Page sent a regular quota to Hezbollah based on profits the mall generated.
The law the men are accused of violating was enacted after 911 to extend the war on terror to those who provide any kind of financial support or other types of assistance to terrorist groups. Each count of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. "Since 911, the federal government is extremely vigilant in prosecuting those that the government believes are providing aid and support to terrorist groups," said Miami criminal defense lawyer John Musca. If a person is charged with assisting a terrorist organization, he or she should seek immediate legal advice from an experienced Florida criminal defense lawyer who can investigate the basis of any charges brought by federal authorities and explain your options and available defenses.
When you are faced with criminal charges in Miami, you will face some serious legal issues, where you will need the assistance of a Miami Criminal Defense Attorney. It is crucial that you have legal representation if you are facing a criminal charge. Don't face this situation without an aggressive attorney fighting for your rights every step of the way. Contact Musca Law immediately.
