Multimillion-dollar unlicensed money transmitter sent to prison

Editor's Note:
This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.   

HOUSTON – A 56-year-old Iraqi citizen who resided in Richmond has been sentenced following his conviction of unlicensed money remitting, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

A federal jury deliberated for approximately two hours before convicting Sameer Sami Rasheed Al Salman April 23 following a two-day trial.

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Salman to serve 54 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard how Salman provided money services to criminal organizations in the tens of thousands of dollars and that he refused to tell FBI where $300,000 cash was located when they searched his house.

During trial, the jury heard evidence about Salman’s money transmitting business, which he operated at his residence in Richmond. Since 2020, Salman transferred and wired millions of dollars from U.S. bank accounts to ones all over the world, including in China, Indonesia and India.

Additional testimony revealed that Salman offered his services locally and conducted informal hawala transactions-a method of transferring money without using the banking system. He carried out these transfers, often amounting to thousands of dollars, from his driveway and required individuals to show their identification. Many transfers originated from Iraq with some up to $40,000.

Authorities identified Salman’s illegal money transmitting operation after extensive surveillance and conducted a search of his residence. At that time, they discovered over $282,000 in cash stored within the house, which Salman will forfeit.

At the time of the trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury Salman had lawful authority to operate a money transfer business in Iraq. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

Salman remains in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Winter and Steven Schammel prosecuted the case.