Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari
Encyclopedia
Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, also known as Michael Mixon, is a former bank underwriter and resident of Ardsley
, New York
, convicted in Manhattan federal court with terrorism financing and conspiracy to commit wire fraud
. There were also charges against him for material support of terrorism, international money laundering
, and conspiracy.
He has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to terrorism financing and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Specifically, the indictment accuses Alishtari of accepting an unspecified amount of money (later specified as $15,000) to transfer $152,000 to Pakistan and Afghanistan to provide night vision goggles
, medical supplies, and other equipment to terrorist training camps. The international money laundering charge arises from the prosecution's allegation that Alishtari transferred $25,000 from a bank in New York to a bank in Montreal
, with the intent that the funds be used to train and equip terrorists.
Prosecutors also allege that Alishtari defrauded investors of millions of dollars through a loan investment program he called the "Flat Electronic Data Interchange" (FEDI), which was ostensibly a scheme in which Alishtari promised a high, guaranteed return on their investments, but had no intention of delivering.
Alishtari was sentenced to 121 months in prison.
According to CBS and the website opensecrets.org, Alishtari is a donor to the Republican Party
, having given $15,250 to the National Republican Congressional Committee
between 2002 and 2004. The NRCC has not decided whether or not to return donations made by Alishtari.
Ardsley, New York
Ardsley is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Greenburgh. The village's population was 4,452 at the 2010 census. The current mayor of Ardsley is Jay Leon....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, convicted in Manhattan federal court with terrorism financing and conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail and wire fraud is a federal crime in the United States. Together, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1346 reach any fraudulent scheme or artifice to intentionally deprive another of property or honest services with a nexus to mail or wire communication....
. There were also charges against him for material support of terrorism, international money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, and conspiracy.
He has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to terrorism financing and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Specifically, the indictment accuses Alishtari of accepting an unspecified amount of money (later specified as $15,000) to transfer $152,000 to Pakistan and Afghanistan to provide night vision goggles
Night vision goggles
A night vision device is an optical instrument that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. They are most often used by the military and law enforcement agencies, but are available to civilian users...
, medical supplies, and other equipment to terrorist training camps. The international money laundering charge arises from the prosecution's allegation that Alishtari transferred $25,000 from a bank in New York to a bank in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, with the intent that the funds be used to train and equip terrorists.
Prosecutors also allege that Alishtari defrauded investors of millions of dollars through a loan investment program he called the "Flat Electronic Data Interchange" (FEDI), which was ostensibly a scheme in which Alishtari promised a high, guaranteed return on their investments, but had no intention of delivering.
Alishtari was sentenced to 121 months in prison.
According to CBS and the website opensecrets.org, Alishtari is a donor to the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, having given $15,250 to the National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
between 2002 and 2004. The NRCC has not decided whether or not to return donations made by Alishtari.