News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
September 11, 2007
Warwick man admits extorting a gas station owner
by making false terrorism links
George Tabora, 45, of Warwick, pleaded guilty today to posing as a federal officer in an attempt to extort money from a Warwick gas station owner by falsely linking him to Islamic terrorists.
United States Attorney Robert Clark Corrente announced the guilty plea, which Tabora entered before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith in U.S. District Court, Providence.
At the plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker said the government could prove that Tabora, posing as a Homeland Security Officer named Carl Johnson, called the gas station owner in May, claiming he had information linking the gas station owner to terrorist organizations, including al-Qa’ida. He demanded $25,000, and said if the victim didn’t pay him, he would “go after” his family and put him in jail.
Subsequently, the gas station owner, who is of Middle Eastern decent, reported to Warwick Police additional threatening calls from the man purporting to be Johnson. Each time the caller falsely linked the gas station owner to terrorists, and demanded money in exchange for the file that he purported to have on the victim. The Warwick Police investigation determined that Tabora’s wife worked at the gas station that the victim owned.
During additional telephone calls, some of them monitored by Warwick detectives, Tabora continued to demand money in exchange for the “file” on the gas station owner. At the direction of Warwick detectives, the victim agreed to pay $15,000, and Tabora told him to put the money into a drain pipe located on property on Centerville Road. Detectives determined that the property with the drainpipe is adjacent to Tabora’s home.
On May 16, Warwick Police arranged two packages of ruse money, purportedly totaling $15,000, and had the victim place them into the drainpipe. They then saw Tabora’s teenage son emerge from the Tabora home and retrieve the package from the drainpipe. When confronted by detectives, he told them that his father had asked him to pick up the money.
Warwick Police arrested George Tabora that day, and he admitted having made the threatening calls. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents subsequently determined that there is no Homeland Security agent named Carl Johnson and that Tabora had never been employed by the Department of Homeland Security.
Tabora pleaded guilty to attempting to obstruct interstate commerce through extortion and attempting to obtain money by impersonating a federal officer. The maximum penalty for extortion is 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine; the maximum for impersonating a federal officer is three years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Tabora is confined to his home pending sentencing, which is scheduled for December 21.
Warwick Police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.
Contact: 401-709-5032 Thomas.connell@usdoj.gov