Azruddin Mohamed as Opposition Leader poses a security risk for the US and Guyana – US journalist warns

United States Journalist and researcher Thomas Jason Anderson has issued a strong warning regarding US-indicted businessman Azruddin Mohamed, citing potential national security implications for both Guyana and the United States.

Anderson is the director of the Washington, DC-based Last Government Watchdog organisation and has assisted The New York Times and The New York Post on several high-profile investigations, including stories surrounding the criminal indictments against US Senator Bob Menendez.

An expert in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), Anderson is known for uncovering hidden truths through extensive analysis of public records. His work has involved engagement with the Federal Election Commission and collaboration with the Ethics Committee of the US House of Representatives as part of what he describes as a relentless pursuit of accountability among those in power.

Speaking during a post on his social media platform on Wednesday, Anderson drew attention to what he described as the broader implications that a sanctioned individual such as Mohamed could pose for Guyana.

According to Anderson, the first issue on the agenda was national security, with Azruddin Mohamed being a central figure in the concern. He stated that Guyana, a relatively small country in the northern part of South America bordering Venezuela, has gradually become a matter of concern for the United States.

This, he explained, is because the individual under US sanctions, Azruddin Mohamed, is actively resisting extradition to the United States to face criminal charges. Mohamed has been indicted in the US on multiple charges, including conspiracy, money laundering, wire fraud, and allegations related to the smuggling of more than 10,000 kilograms (kg) of gold through the United States. These developments, Anderson noted, have attracted significant attention from US authorities and raised broader national security concerns.

He added that Mohamed’s primary objective is to avoid extradition. “He’s trying to avoid extradition, and the way he’s doing it is through the politics in the nation of Guyana, which is not good. The reason why it’s not good is because, if you strip away the outside appearance, yes, Guyana has gotten a lot of help recently from us, from our State Department, from our embassy, and from our White House, but what that’s done is it’s given the place a good paint job. The problem is, Guyana has been a place that’s been neglected for decades by the United States. And in that neglect, it became a target for other nations around the world.”

Anderson warned that Guyana could be exploited as a launch point for actions against the United States, arguing that long-standing political weaknesses have left the country vulnerable.

“The political chaos that could occur from having this one individual fight extradition to the United States could create a domino effect, where whatever is being done in Venezuela can be totally undermined.”

He cautioned that such instability could also undermine efforts taking place in neighbouring countries, including Cuba and elsewhere in the region. Additionally, he noted that Guyana’s rapidly expanding oil sector, particularly the large volumes of sweet crude currently being produced, could be placed at risk if the political situation continues on its current trajectory.
“Whatever is being done in Cuba, anywhere in the region, can be totally undermined,” Anderson said. “On top of that, there is a boatload of sweet crude oil coming out of Guyana right now, and that could also be at risk if things continue the way they are politically. This is a serious situation. This is a code red. People need to pay attention. Do not fall asleep on it. Wake up and look at the tsunami that’s coming your way. This is a big deal.”

The father-and-son duo, Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on 11 criminal charges, including wire fraud, mail fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering. The charges are primarily linked to alleged irregularities in gold exports to the United States through their company, Mohamed’s Enterprises.

The United States has requested the extradition of the Mohameds to face the indictments, and those extradition proceedings are currently pending in the local courts.

However, a court document filed in Florida states that Attorney Paster would be appearing as counsel for the United States “regarding any forfeiture issues” in the case styled United States of America vs. Nazar Mohamed et al.

The Mohameds are accused of conspiring to defraud both the US and Guyanese Governments between 2017 and June 11, 2024. Prosecutors allege that the father-son duo used a scheme to unlawfully obtain property by transmitting communications through interstate and foreign commerce, in violation of US laws.

According to US prosecutors, the goal was to enrich themselves while defrauding the Government of Guyana by evading taxes and royalties on gold exports. They are accused of reusing Guyana Customs declarations and official seals on multiple shipments to falsely indicate that taxes and royalties had been paid.

US authorities allege the scheme resulted in more than US$50 million in lost taxes and royalties to the Government of Guyana. Additional indictments detail similar conduct involving shipments of gold, emails allegedly from Nazar Mohamed requesting the sealed boxes from Miami, and exports of over 165 kg of gold per shipment destined for Dubai.
If convicted, most of the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and fines of up to US$250,000, while the money laundering charge carries a fine of up to US$500,000 or the value of the laundered property.

The US Government is also seeking forfeiture of certain assets connected to the accused. As a result, the assignment of Attorney Paster to the case is being viewed as significant, particularly pending the outcome of the extradition proceedings.

The Assistant US Attorney assigned to the matter is an experienced prosecutor in high-value forfeiture and transnational corruption cases. Last year, he was part of a prosecutorial team that secured more than US$20 million in a civil forfeiture case linked to a Venezuelan bribery and money-laundering scheme.