Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi
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Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi (Arabic: محمد إبراهيم بزي; born 10 August 1964, Bint Jbeil) is a Lebanese businessman and former diplomat who also holds British and Belgian citizenship.[1][2][3]
Career
[edit]Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi has operated businesses in a number of countries, including Lebanon, Belgium, Iraq and several countries in western Africa.[4][3] Businesses related to him included companies such as: "Global Trading Group NV", "Euro African Group LTD", "Africa Middle East Investment Holding SAL", "Premier Investment Group SAL Offshore" and "Car Escort Services S.A.L. Off Shore".
In 2005 he was given a political role as he was appointed as an honorary consul in Lebanon, by the government of Gambia.[4]
Terrorism charges
[edit]In May 2018 he was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.[5][4] It was proved that Bazzi used his business operations in Iraq and west Africa to assist Hezbollah financially with millions of Dollars and created banking connections between banks in Iraq and Lebanon.[4] His most notable connections in West Africa were with former president of The Gambia - Yahya Jammeh.[4] The former president himself is accused of corruption within and outside of his country. Furthermore, he was sanctioned for Human rights abuse.[5]
In February 2023, while staying in Romania, he was arrested by the local police and then extradited to the US, where he was trailed for evading sanctions. In September 2024 he pleaded guilty at a Brooklyn court for providing millions of Dollars to Hezbollah via his companies over the years.[1][6] Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi could face up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty, along with possible deportation and the forfeiture of more than $828,000 connected to unlawful transactions.[7][6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Hezbollah 'financier' pleads guilty to evading US sanctions". Arab News. 2024-09-21. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ "Mohammad Ibrahim BAZZI". OpenSanctions.org. 1964-08-10. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ a b "Sanctions List Search". sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ a b c d e "Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi". Rewards For Justice. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ a b "Mohammed Ibrahim Bazzi". Counter Extremism Project. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ a b Staff, Brooklyn Eagle (2024-09-20). "Global terrorist Mohammad Bazzi pleads guilty in Brooklyn court". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ Moynihan, Colin (2024). "Man the U.S. Says Financed Hezbollah Admits Trying to Evade Sanctions".