News
Release

For Release:

 

U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney
Northern District of Ohio

Gregory A. White
United States Attorney

J. Matthew Cain
Assistant U.S. Attorney
(216) 622-3800

 

Gregory A. White, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a federal grand jury in Cleveland returned a 51-count indictment, charging the following individuals:

Defendant

Address

Age

NASSER M. KAHOOK aka Norman

4321 Brookview Court Uniontown, Ohio 44685

45

ABDEL NASSER JUDEH aka Nino

172 Indian Hills Drive Tallmadge, Ohio 44278

37

GUY M. BOCIAN

1760 Krumroy Road Akron, Ohio 44312

55

IHAB TRAISH

80 N. Portage Path, Apt. 7a1 Akron, Ohio 44303

26

MOHAMMAD RIBHI KAHOOK, aka Mike Al Khuq

230 Indian Hills Drive Tallmadge, Ohio 44278

24

JAMES HIGGINBOTTAM aka Reverend Jim

809 Biruta Street Akron, Ohio 44307

61

JOHN GHEITH

1206 Austin Avenue Akron, Ohio 44306

57

NUNZIE V. FRAGOLA

4545 Commodore Drive Stow, Ohio 44224

82

in a money laundering conspiracy indictment based on cigarette rebate fraud, and gambling activity occurring in the Akron, Ohio, area between 2001 and 2005. The charges by defendant are summarized as follows:

U.S. Code Title

Name of Statute

Individuals charged

18 USC 371/1341

Mail Fraud Conspiracy 5 years/$250,000

Nasser Kahook Abdel Nasser Judeh Guy Bocian Mohammad Ribhi Kahook

18 USC 1341

Mail Fraud 20 years/$250,000

Abdel Nasser Judeh Nasser Kahook

18 USC 1956(a)(1)(h)

Money Laundering Conspiracy 20 years/Value of Funds or $500,000

Nasser Kahook Abdel Nasser Judeh Guy Bocian Mohammad Ribhi Kahook

18 USC 1957

Money Launder Instruments greater than $10,000. 10 years/$250,000

Abdel Nasser Judeh Nasser Kahook

18 USC 1955

Illegal Gambling Business 5 years/$250,000 Forfeiture of Machines and Money Used in Business

Nasser Kahook Ihab Traish John M. Geith James Higgenbottam Nunzie V. Fragola

18 USC 371/1955

Gambling Conspiracy 5 years/$250,000 Forfeiture of Proceeds Earned

Nasser Kahook Ihab Traish John M. Geith James Higgenbottam Nunzie V. Fragola

18 USC 1956(a)(1)(h)

Money Laundering Conspiracy 5 years/$250,000

Nasser Kahook Ihab Traish John M. Geith James Higgenbottam Nunzie V. Fragola

18 USC 215(a)(1) and 2

Financial Institution Bribery 30 years/$1,000,000

Nasser Kahook

42 USC 408(a)(3)

Social Security Fraud 5 years/$250,000

Mohammad Ribhi Kahook

18 USC 1001

False Statement to Government 5 years/$250,000

Mohammad Ribhi Kahook

If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Matthew Cain, following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Social Security Administration Inspector General, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Criminal Investigation Division and U. S. Postal Inspection Service.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

 



Press Release | Cleveland Home Page  | FBI Home Page