Former FBI Fugitives Guilty of Multiple Charges Including Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, and Lying to Obtain Federal Aid

LOUISVILLE, KY—A native of Somalia and his son, a native of Kenya, who were fugitives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have pleaded guilty today and last week in United States District Court before Judge John G. Heyburn, II to multiple charges including conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, and lying to obtain federal aid, announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

Abdalla Hajisufi, age 43, a naturalized citizen of the United States, having been born in Somalia, and living in Louisville, Kentucky, and his eldest son Mohamed Hajisufi, age 20, a naturalized citizen of the United States, having been born in Kenya, and living in Louisville, failed to appear in federal court for arraignment in June 2012 and were fugitives from the FBI until their arrest on January 28, 2013, by the FBI as they attempted to re-enter the United States on a flight from Europe at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

In court today and last week, both defendants pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute Oxycodone and Hydrocodone between November 2011 and March 2012, at various times, to customers at their business, the Hana Store, formerly located on Preston Highway in Louisville. Further, Abdalla Hajisufi pleaded guilty to managing and owning an unlicensed money transmitting business operating out of the Hana Store. According to the plea agreement, Hajisufi cashed payroll checks from employees of a temporary employment agency and would deduct a small fee for the transaction without complying with the licensing and registration requirements of Kentucky state laws. According to an FBI affidavit filed in support of a civil complaint, Hajisufi cashed nearly 107,000 payroll checks totaling over $6.6 million from July 2006 through December 2010 at the Hana Store.

Further, Abdalla Hajisufi pleaded guilty today to stealing $41,640 in food stamp benefits from the SNAP program, which administers food stamp benefits, from January 1, 2006 through May 31, 2011, and to stealing $20,196 in Section 8 housing benefits by misrepresenting his income on benefit application forms. Hajisufi agreed to pay $119,876.87 in restitution to the Kentucky food stamp program ($41,640); the local Jefferson County, Kentucky Section 8 program ($20,196); and the Kentucky Medicaid program ($58,040.87), stolen in the same manner as the Section 8 and food stamp benefits but uncharged as it was not discovered until after this indictment.

Hajisufi further agreed to the forfeiture of $25,008 in United States currency that was seized at his place of business, The Hana Store, during execution of the FBI search warrant on March 13, 2012.

According to the plea agreements, Mohamed Hajisufi faces a minimum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, and a three-year term of supervised release. Abdalla Hajisufi faces a combined maximum term of 60 years in prison, a fine of $2,500,000, and a three year term of supervised release. Mohamed Hajisufi is scheduled for sentencing on September 3, 2013, at 3 p.m., in Louisville.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Snyder and is being investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).