Qatar Military Official and Wife Plead Guilty to Federal Charges

In San Antonio today, a military official from Qatar pleaded guilty to visa fraud and his wife pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony involving two domestic employees who were also citizens of foreign countries announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Antonio.

According to court records, 46-year-old Hassan Al-Homoud and his 39–year-old wife, Zainab Al-Hosani, a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, along with their children, currently reside in San Antonio while Al-Homoud is attending military training at Camp Bullis.  In mid-2014, the defendants allegedly brought with them to the U.S. two females--a housemaid and a servant who worked for the family.  The housemaid is a citizen of Indonesia; the servant is a citizen of Bangladesh.  Both were in the U.S. on visas sponsored by Al-Homoud.  By pleading guilty, the defendants admitted that they falsified the documents required to secure the visas for the two women.

The workers’ circumstances were discovered by an officer of the San Antonio Police Department in early April, when he encountered one of the workers in apparent distress along Camp Bullis Rd.  This led law enforcement officers to a nearby apartment occupied by the workers, furnished with only a pallet on the floor for sleeping.

Statutorily, the defendants face up to ten years in federal prison.  However, pursuant to the plea agreement, provided the terms and conditions are satisfied including restitution to each of the victims, Al-Houmoud will be placed on probation for five years, and his wife for three years. Both remain on bond pending sentencing scheduled for February 9, 2016, before United States District Judge Orlando Garcia in San Antonio.  Further, in accordance with the plea agreement, both of them will be immediately removed from the U.S. following sentencing.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Antonio.  Assistant United States Attorney Bettina Richardson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.