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Press Release

7-Eleven Employee Sentenced To 48 Months In Prison For Wire Fraud, Alien Harboring, And Identity Theft Scheme

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York
The Defendant Used Stolen Identities And Harbored Illegal Alien Workers To Carry Out The Scheme

Earlier today at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York, Malik Yousaf was sentenced to 48 months in prison following his September 22, 2014, guilty plea to committing wire fraud and concealing and harboring illegal aliens employed at 7-Eleven, Inc. (7-Eleven) franchise stores located throughout Long Island and Virginia. 

The sentence was announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.  Mr. Capers expressed his grateful appreciation to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, New York Field Office (HSI); New York State Police; Suffolk County Police; United States Department of Labor; and the New York Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration.  

According to court filings and facts presented in court, the defendant acted as the chief manager of five 7-Eleven franchise stores during the course of the conspiracy, hired dozens of illegal aliens, equipped them with more than 20 identities stolen from United States citizens, housed them at residences his coconspirators owned, and stole substantial portions of his workers’ wages.  During the scheme, the defendant generated over $182 million in proceeds from the 7-Eleven franchise stores. 

In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, the court entered an order forfeiting the defendant’s rights to eight 7-Eleven stores in New York and ten 7-Eleven stores in Virginia, as well as a Long Island residence worth over $150,000.  The court also ordered the defendant to pay $2.5 million in restitution for the back wages that he stole from his workers. 

The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Amatruda is in charge of the prosecution.  Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Morris and Elliot M. Schachner of the Office’s Civil Division are responsible for the forfeiture of assets.

The charges were brought in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it is the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory, and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions, and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

For questions or concerns about immigrant workers and job seekers, contact the New York State Department of Labor Division Policies and Affairs (DIPA) at its toll-free worker hotline (1-877-466-9757).

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-351(SJF)

The Defendant:

MALIK YOUSAF
Age: 55
South Setauket, New York

Updated December 14, 2016

Topics
Financial Fraud
Human Trafficking
Identity Theft
StopFraud