Federal Prosecutors Add Four Defendants to Alleged Halal Mislabeling Case
Brothers Jalel and William “Yahya” Aossey, along with the Midamar Corporation and Islamic Services of America, will be arraigned in federal court on multiple felony charges next Monday, Dec. 15. Both businesses are based in Cedar Rapids, IA. Their father, and the founder of Midamar and Islamic Services of America, William B. Aossey Jr., 73, was charged with 19 related counts last October, and his case is scheduled for a March 2015 trial. He was released with minimal restrictions until the trial to assist in his own defense.
The Halal beef mislabeling cases are all being brought in U.S. District Court for Northern Iowa in Cedar Rapids. The brothers, who are corporate officials, are each facing 92 federal felony counts, and the two business entities are each being charged with one count of conspiracy to make and use materially false statements and documents, sell misbranded meat, and commit wire fraud.
According to the 50-page indictment against the brothers and their businesses, the charges are based on allegations that the defendants exported mislabeled beef to both Malaysia and Indonesia.
At the arraignment for the brothers and the businesses, the two corporate officers will each face 44 counts of wire fraud and 44 counts of money laundering, plus three counts each of making false export statements and one count each of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The government is also seeking proceeds and property in two forfeiture allegations.
Conviction on each count could result in a fine of up to $250,000, and jail time could accumulate with possible sentences of up to 5 years for conspiracy, up to three years for false statements, and up to 20 years for each count of wire fraud and money laundering.
After his father’s indictment, Jalel Aossey reportedly said that he and his brother did not understand why a “mislabeling issue” has turned into criminal prosecution. He has also said that money from company accounts was seized by the government in 2010 but returned when no wrongdoing was found.
Jalel Aossey (Pending Counts)
18:371 CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE UNITED STATES w/Forfeiture Allegation
(1)
21:611(b)(5) and 18:2 FORGERY OF OFFICIAL DEVICE, MARK OR CERTIFICATE
(2-4)
18:1343 and 2 WIRE FRAUD w/Forfeiture Allegation
(5-47)
18:1956(a)(2)(A) MONEY LAUNDERING – POSTAL, INTERSTATE WIRE, RADIO, ETC. w/Forfeiture Allegation
(48-91)
18:1956(h) MONEY LAUNDERING – CONSPIRACY w/Forfeiture Allegation
(92)
William “Yahya” Aossey (Pending Counts)
18:371 CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE UNITED STATES w/Forfeiture Allegation
(1)
21:611(b)(5) and 18:2 FORGERY OF OFFICIAL DEVICE, MARK OR CERTIFICATE
(2-4)
18:1343 and 2 WIRE FRAUD w/Forfeiture Allegation
(5-47)
18:1956(a)(2)(A) MONEY LAUNDERING – POSTAL, INTERSTATE WIRE, RADIO, ETC. w/Forfeiture Allegation
(48-91)
18:1956(h) MONEY LAUNDERING – CONSPIRACY w/Forfeiture Allegation
(92)