Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Region of the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), and Jocelyn Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“NYC-DOI”), announced today the arrest of LIAQUAT CHEEMA and ALI CHEEMA on charges of wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering conspiracy for their role in a scheme to defraud New York City (the “City”) in connection with public contracts to perform general contracting work at City homeless shelters. Three other participants in the money laundering scheme, IRFAN BAJWA, SHOUKET CHUDHARY, a/k/a “Muhammad Shakoor Chudary,” a/k/a “Mohammad Shakoor Chudary,” and KHIZAR HAYAT were also arrested for their role in using bank accounts to receive proceeds of the fraud scheme and conducting financial transactions to conceal, among other things, the illegal source of the funds. In addition, LIAQUAT CHEEMA, BAJWA, CHUDHARY, and HAYAT were each charged in a separate scheme to fraudulently obtain tens of thousands of dollars-worth of Medicaid benefits. The defendants were arrested this morning in East Elmhurst and New Hyde Park, New York, and will be presented today before a magistrate judge in the Southern District of New York.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendants entered into public contracts so that they could provide vital...
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