Gregory A. White, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that United States District Judge Donald C. Nugent today sentenced thirteen individuals on various felony charges arising out of the federal investigation of certified public accountant Abrar U.S. v. Haque and Abrar CPA, Inc. Haque, age 45, resided at 173 Weatherstone Drive, Berea, Ohio

Abrar U.S. v. Haque was sentenced to imprisonment for 144 months, followed by supervised release for three years. He was also ordered to forfeit $200,000 and to pay $6,100 in special assessments. Haque was convicted by a federal jury on October 16, 2006 on 61 felony counts following a three-week jury trial. Haque was convicted of conspiring to operate the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity (RICO); conspiring to launder money; conspiring to impair and impede the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service; numerous individual counts of subscribing false federal income and employment tax returns; numerous individual counts of aiding and abetting mail, wire, and bank frauds; Medicaid fraud; and making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Haque was a certified public accountant in the State of Ohio who operated an accounting practice on Lorain Rd. in Cleveland, Ohio. He was also a founder of the Islamic Mosque located on Rocky River Drive in Cleveland, and of the Al Ihsan School, an Islamic elementary school co-located at the Mosque.

Two other defendants convicted at trial with Abrar U.S. v. Haque were Akram Haque and Abdur Rashid. Akram Haque, age 32, residing at 1486 Victoria Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio, the brother of Abrar, was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Akram Haque was employed at his brother’s accounting firm. He was convicted on the RICO charge, the tax conspiracy, and five counts of subscribing false income tax returns. Abdur Rashid, age 35, residing at 3714 W. 143rd St. in Cleveland, was the imam of the Islamic Mosque and another employee at Abrar CPA, Inc. He was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Rashid was convicted on the RICO and tax conspiracies, and four counts of subscribing false income tax returns.

Others convicted in the investigation following guilty pleas include the following: Nuzaira M. Haque, wife of Abrar, age 39, was convicted of using a Social Security account number obtained with false information. She was sentenced to a term of two years’ probation and faces possible deportation. Omar Abedrabbo, age 35, currently residing in Pembroke Pines, Florida, was convicted of conspiring to launder money with Abrar U.S. v. Haque. Abedrabbo was sentenced to a term of two years’ probation with the first six months in home confinement with electronic monitoring. Yamin Imran, age 35, residing at 5715 Northwinds Drive, Apt. 43, in Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio, was convicted of making false statements to the FBI regarding his employment at Abrar CPA, Inc. Imran was sentenced to a term of one year probation, and faces possible deportation. Mohammed Shahabuddin, age 54, 6967 York Rd., Apt. 114, Parma Heights, Ohio, was convicted of structuring currency transactions in connection with the money-laundering conviction. He was sentenced to two years’ probation, and faces possible deportation. Remaining defendants were sentenced to terms of probation following their guilty pleas to mail, wire, and immigration fraud, and interstate transportation of property obtained by fraud. These defendants (with ages and addresses) include:

These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James V. Moroney and Matthew B. Kall following an investigation by the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and Criminal Enterprise squads. Extensive assistance was provided in the investigation and prosecution by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (Cleveland office), and trial assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Racketeering.