Washington, Dec 17(ANI): Over two dozen US car dealerships were allegedly involved in an international 300 million dollars money laundering scheme for Lebanon-based terrorist organization Hezbollah, federal officials have said.
According to a 62-page complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, federal agents served restraining orders and grilled employees at as many as 30 used car dealerships around the country, as part of a civil case that also named a Lebanese bank and two exchange houses as part of the plot.
The scheme involved the purchases of used cars in the US for shipment and sale abroad with funds provided by the banks, currency exchanges and associates of the Lebanon-based terrorist group.
The restraining orders are intended to seize the assets of all of the used car dealerships named in the federal complaint.
"We're looking to shut down this trade-based money laundering scheme," Drug Enforcement Agency agent Derek Maltz told ABC News.
"And we're looking to take the profits away from Hezbollah and other terror groups around the world," he added.he complaint alleges that banks in Lebanon wired over 300 million dollars into the US for the purchase and shipment of used cars to West Africa. Proceeds from those sales were then allegedly funneled back to Lebanon to support Hezbollah causes. (ANI)
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