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Draft:Awni Mutee

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  • Comment: Inline citations are required throughout the article. The entire convictions and legacy sections are unreferenced. Utopes (talk / cont) 17:26, 1 September 2024 (UTC)


Awni Mutee
عوني مطيع
Born (1965-06-02) June 2, 1965 (age 59)

Awni Mutee or Awni Issa (Arabic: عوني مطيع) born on June 2, 1965 is a businessman and criminal mastermind in the international counterfeit cigarette industry[1]. Since the 1990s, he has been known to produce international cigarette brands such as Marlboro and Winston. His work spread to many countries.[2]

Mutee built his business empire through strategic partnerships with influential political figures, which provided him with government protection. In Libya, he partnered with the third richest man in libya[3] , they established a factory to produce Cleopatra cigarettes, which were later smuggled into Egypt. In northern Iraq, he collaborated with the Nokan Group[4] and established another cigarette factory. His business interests also extended to Panama, where he owned various companies.

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In 2005, Mutee became a fugitive after being wanted by Interpol for crimes in the Netherlands, including organized crime, tax evasion, and money laundering, following a raid on a cigarette factory in Hengelo. He was later acquitted due to insufficient evidence.[5]

In 2018, Awni Mutee became embroiled in a prominent corruption scandal in Jordan, commonly known as the 'tobacco case'[6] .This case implicated numerous high-ranking government officials and over twenty accomplices. Mutee, a businessman with significant connections, faced serious allegations, including actions that could disrupt the country's economic framework and threaten the fundamental conditions of its economic society[7]. He was also charged with jeopardizing public safety and security, as well as offenses such as tax evasion, bribery, trademark infringement, smuggling, and money laundering [8]. Prosecutors claimed that Mutee exploited Jordan's low-tax, free trade zones to manufacture counterfeit cigarettes for export, which he subsequently smuggled into the local market. It was alleged that he and his associates evaded approximately 539 million dinars (around US$760 million) in taxes and customs duties.[9]

Before authorities could arrest him, Mutee fled Jordan just one day before raids on his four factories. His son, Bashar, also escaped minutes before an arrest warrant was issued. Awni Mutee was later extradited from Turkey to Jordan following a phone call between King Abdullah II and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.[10] Bashar is believed to be residing in Lebanon, and continues to manage his father's business operations .

Conviction and sentencing :

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On September 29, 2021, Jordan's State Security Court sentenced Awni Mutee to 22 years in prison for his involvement in the 'tobacco case,'[11] described by local media as the biggest corruption scandal in the Kingdom's history.[12] The court also sentenced his son, Bashar Awni, and the businessman Salameh Al Alamat to 22 years in prison for their roles. The case involved 29 defendants and 25 companies.[13] Mutee's other son, Yousef and the rest of the defendants were sentenced to three and a half years in prison.[14] The court ordered the confiscation of Mutee's extensive assets, including real estates, mansions, over 100 luxury cars, valuable license plate numbers, and jewelry worth millions.[15]

Public image and philanthropy :

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Awni Mutee, despite his involvement in criminal activities, was recognized for his philanthropic efforts. He served in an honorary capacity at the International Human Rights Commission and founded several organizations aimed at supporting the underprivileged. Additionally, Mutee held the honorary title of president of the Al Jalil Football Club in Jordan, highlighting his engagement in community initiatives.[16]

Legacy  :

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Awni Mutee's legacy is marked by his dual identity as both a successful businessman and an organized crime boss. His influence and legal battles have had a significant impact on the economic and social landscapes[17] of the regions where he operated. The conviction in the 'tobacco case' is a notable chapter in his life[18], further cementing his notoriety in Jordanian and regional history.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Andrews, Frank. "Fake Cigarette Ring Exposes Jordan's Corruption Woes". OCCRP. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  2. ^ "Jordan ex-customs boss among 29 suspects charged with corruption". France 24. 2019-02-07. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  3. ^ "Cleopatra: Made Outside Egypt". True Story Award. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  4. ^ "nokangroup.org – Nokan Group is a prominent group of companies for investment and industry in Kurdistan Region of Iraq". Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  5. ^ "Cleopatra: Made Outside Egypt". True Story Award. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  6. ^ Younes, Ali. "Jordan, corruption and the fake-brand cigarette scandal". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  7. ^ Andrews, Frank. "Fake Cigarette Ring Exposes Jordan's Corruption Woes". OCCRP. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  8. ^ Team, Sayari Analyst (2020-09-04). "Historic Counterfeit Cigarette Case Highlights Vulnerabilities in Middle East Tobacco Markets". Sayari. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  9. ^ "Customs Department foils cigarette smuggling attempt". Jordan Times. 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  10. ^ "الحكومة الأردنية تكشف دور تركيا في جلب عوني مطيع إلى الأردن". arabic.cnn.com (in Arabic). 2018-12-18. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  11. ^ "Six senior officials arrested in Jordan 'cigarettes scandal' corruption saga". 23 January 2019.
  12. ^ الأردنية (بترا), وكالة الأنباء. "Royal efforts leads to repatriate fugitive Awni Mutee". بترا -وكالة الأنباء الأردنية. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  13. ^ "Jordan businessmen, officials go on trial in graft case".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ Andrews, Frank. "Fake Cigarette Ring Exposes Jordan's Corruption Woes". OCCRP. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  15. ^ Al Amir, Khitam. "Jordan: 3 businessmen jailed for 22 years for 2018 'tobacco scandal'". Gulf News. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  16. ^ "عوني مطيع رجل الأعمال الأردني، من الجمعيات الخيرية إلى السجن". BBC News عربي (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  17. ^ https://etssponsorship.com/assets/documents/3.%20Social%20Landscape.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  18. ^ Luck, Taylor. "Jordan touts extradition of fake cigarette salesman to win over public on corruption". The National. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  19. ^ Younes, Ali. "Jordan, corruption and the fake-brand cigarette scandal". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
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