Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari

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Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, also known as Michael Mixon, is a bank underwriter and resident of Ardsley, New York, charged in Manhattan federal court with terrorism financing, material support of terrorism, and international money laundering, as well as additional charges of conspiracy and wire fraud.[1]

He has pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court to a number of terrorism-related charges. Specifically, the indictment accuses Alishtari of accepting an unspecified amount of money to transfer $152,000 to Pakistan and Afghanistan to provide night vision goggles to terrorist training camps. The international money laundering charge arises from the prosecution's allegation that Alishtari transferred $25,000 from a bank in New York to a bank in Montreal, with the intent that the funds be used to train and equip terrorists.[1]

Prosecutors also allege that Alishtari defrauded investors of millions of dollars through a loan investment program he called the "Flat Electronic Data Interchange" (FEDI), which was ostensibly a scheme in which Alishtari promised a high, guaranteed return on their investments, but had no intention of delivering.[1]

If convicted, Alishtari faces up to 95 years in prison.

According to CBS and the website opensecrets.org, Alishtari is a donor to the Republican Party, having given $15,250 to the National Republican Congressional Committee between 2002 and 2004.[2] The NRCC has not decided whether or not to return donations made by Alishtari.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c "U.S. arrests Westchester man for terrorism financing and perpetrating massive investment fraud". Media Newswire. Retrieved February 24, 2007.
  2. ^ NY Man Charged With Trying To Fund Terror, Prosecutors Allege Suburban NYC Businessman Tried To Send $152K For Afghan Terrorist Training Camp - CBS News
  3. ^ FOXNews.com - Man Accused of Helping Terrorists Donated Thousands to Republicans - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum