Co-owner of Ross Pawn Shop Sentenced to Probation, Community Service for Resale Scheme

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to one year of probation and ordered to perform 150 hours of community service on her guilty plea to mail fraud and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Aliya Zaman, 51.

According to information presented to the court, Aliya Zaman and her husband owned and operated Ninja Babcock, a pawn/resale shop in Ross Township, Pennsylvania. The Zamans knowingly and willfully purchased health and beauty aids (HBAs), stolen by opioid-dependent individuals from various commercial retailers, such as Rite-Aid, Wal-Mart and Giant Eagle, for pennies on the dollar. The stolen HBAs were then resold through Amazon.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hornak stated that although Aliya Zaman pled guilty to financial crimes, her conduct fueled the opioid addiction of numerous Pittsburgh residents.

Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Shaler Township Police Department and Ross Township Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Aliya Zaman.