Azzruddin Mohamed indicted in U.S. for fraud and money laundering

Guyana’s incoming opposition leader, Azzruddin Mohamed, has been indicted in the United States along with his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, on charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering linked to gold exports and a luxury car import.

The indictment, filed in the Southern District of Florida, alleges that the two businessmen—owners of Mohamed’s Enterprise, one of Guyana’s major gold exporters—were involved in schemes to evade taxes on gold shipments and falsify import documents for a luxury vehicle.

U.S. prosecutors claim the company misrepresented gold exports to avoid tax and reporting obligations, and that a Lamborghini imported to Guyana in 2020 was deliberately undervalued from about US$695,000 to US$75,300 to evade more than $383 million in taxes.

The case also includes provisions for asset forfeiture and could lead to lengthy prison terms and heavy fines if the men are convicted.

In Guyana, Azzruddin also faces related Customs Act charges for allegedly making false declarations to the Guyana Revenue Authority. The GRA has accused the Mohamed family of undervaluing several vehicles, with an estimated $1.2 billion in unpaid taxes.

Azzruddin’s party, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), recently won 16 seats in Guyana’s general elections, positioning him to become the next Opposition Leader.