Former Ohio Deputy Treasurer Extradited From Pakistan to Serve 15-Year Sentence for Bribery

WASHINGTON – A former Deputy Treasurer of Ohio has been extradited from Pakistan to the United States to serve a 15-year prison sentence for his role in a bribery and money laundering scheme involving the Ohio Treasurer’s Office.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark T. D’Alessandro of the Southern District of Ohio, Special Agent in Charge Angela L. Byers of the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, Attorney General Mike DeWine of Ohio and U.S. Marshal Peter C. Tobin of the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.

Amer Ahmad, 40, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in December 2013 to federal program bribery and conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering.  Following his guilty plea, Ahmad fled the United States and was arrested by Pakistan authorities while attempting to illegally enter that country.  He has remained in custody and the U.S. government requested his extradition.  On Dec. 1, 2014, Ahmad was sentenced in abstentia by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson of the Southern District of Ohio to 15 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $3.2 million in illicit proceeds.

“Today’s extradition demonstrates the never-ceasing efforts by investigators at home and abroad to bring to justice those who abuse positions of power to defraud,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark T. D’Alessandro of the Southern District of Ohio.

“Amer Ahmad abused the public’s trust and ran halfway across the globe to hide,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Angela L. Byers. “Tenacious FBI Special Agents and investigators continued to pursue Ahmad until he could be returned to face justice. Now he will have plenty of time to reflect on his corrupt actions while serving out his lengthy prison sentence.”

“Deputy U.S. Marshals and FBI Special Agents worked hand in hand to track fugitive Ahmad and return him to justice,” said Pete Tobin, U.S. Marshal, Southern District of Ohio. “If you violate the trust of the American public and the laws of the land, we will pursue you wherever you may be found.”

According to admissions in connection with his guilty plea, from January 2009 through January 2011, Ahmad used his position as Deputy Treasurer to direct official state of Ohio business to securities broker Douglas E. Hampton in return for bribes.  Ahmad and Chicago businessman Joseph Chiavaroli concealed the payments received from Hampton by passing them through the accounts of their landscaping business.  Hampton also funneled more than $123,000 to Mohammed Noure Alo, an attorney and lobbyist who was Ahmad’s close personal friend and business associate. Over the course of the scheme, Hampton paid in excess of $500,000 in bribes and received, in exchange, approximately $3.2 million in commissions for 360 securities trades on behalf of the Ohio Treasurer’s Office.

Hampton and Alo were sentenced in November 2014 to 45 months in prison and 48 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the scheme. Chiavaroli was sentenced in December 2014 to 18 months in prison. 

A remand hearing is being scheduled to be held at 10am on Friday in front of U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Central Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents from the FBI and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.  The U.S. Marshals Service joined the investigation after Ahmad fled the United States.  The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas W. Squires of the Southern District of Ohio  and Trial Attorneys Eric L. Gibson and Menaka Kalaskar of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.