FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885
November 29, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VIRGINIA MAN SENTENCED IN MONEY TRANSMITTING CASE
Greenbelt, Maryland - United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announces that today United States District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. sentenced Mohammad Bajwa, age 40, of Herndon, Virginia to 10 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release in connection with his conviction by a federal jury on October 21, 2005 of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and committing wire fraud in connection with a personal mortgage refinancing application. In addition, the jury ordered Bajwa to forfeit his residence and $3.5 million in cash.
According to trial testimony, Bajwa operated a money transmitting business that accepted cash from individuals in Virginia and elsewhere for transmission to Pakistan and other countries. Bajwa wired the monies to overseas banks and used his brother and others in Pakistan to deliver the money to recipients. Between 1999 and August 13, 2002, Bajwa wired and caused to be wired more than $6 million overseas. During this entire time period, however, Bajwa transferred money overseas without first obtaining the proper license from the Virginia State Corporation Commission, thereby avoiding the reporting requirements necessary to obtain such a license.
In addition, in late 2001, Bajwa sought to refinance his home at 1302 Summerfield Drive, Herndon, Virginia, and submitted, in connection with his application for the loan, false corporate and individual tax returns for 1999 and 2000.
Bajwa was previously convicted in April of 2005 in the same court of immigration fraud and was sentenced to 2 years in prison.
United States Attorney Rosenstein thanked the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation for their work in this two year investigation. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys David I. Salem and Chan Park, who prosecuted the case.
This page last modified—January 30, 2006