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Press Release

Burmese National Convicted At Trial Of Conspiring To Assault Myanmar’s Ambassador To The United Nations

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the conviction of PHYO HEIN HTUT, a Burmese national, of one count of conspiracy to assault a foreign official in connection with his participation in a plot to assault Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (the “Ambassador”).  HTUT was found guilty after an eight-day trial before U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 14, 2024, before Judge Román.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “While volunteering on a security team at Myanmar’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Phyo Hein Htut betrayed the person he was supposed to be protecting by secretly feeding information about the Ambassador, the Mission, and its personnel to an arms dealer in furtherance of a plot to hurt the Ambassador.  The jury’s unanimous verdict holds him to account for his actions.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, the evidence offered at trial, and matters included in public filings:

Between in or about February 2021 through at least on or about August 5, 2021, HTUT, a citizen of Myanmar residing in New York, conspired to injure or kill Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.  During the conspiracy, HTUT communicated with an arms dealer in Thailand (the “Arms Dealer”) who sells weapons to the Burmese military, which overthrew Myanmar’s civilian government in or about February 2021.  In the course of those conversations, HTUT supplied information to the Arms Dealer about the Ambassador, the inner workings of Myanmar’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and other Mission personnel.  HTUT also accepted money the Arms Dealer sent to him to hire attackers to hurt the Ambassador in an attempt to force the Ambassador to step down from his post.  

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HTUT, 29, a Burmese national residing in New York, was convicted of conspiracy to assault a foreign official, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. 

The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, and the New York City Police Department.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Coffman and Benjamin Klein, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Teresa Leo, are in charge of the prosecution.

Contact

Nicholas Biase
(212) 637-2600

Updated July 24, 2023

Topic
Violent Crime
Press Release Number: 23-259