For Immediate Release: Contact: Gina Balaya (313) 226-9758

April 14, 2008

EVENT: Sentenced

Defendant: Hasan Qasem

FLORIDA RESIDENT SENTENCED ON CHARGES OF ILLEGALLY TRANSFERRING FUNDS THROUGH DEARBORN TRAVEL AGENCY TO YEMEN

A 43 year old Tampa, Florida resident was sentenced to two years probation on the charge of Conspiracy To Violate the Travel Act. The charge related to the transmission of money from Florida to Yemen, through a Michigan company, that had been obtained through structured financial transactions, United States Attorney Stephen J. Murphy announced today.

Murphy was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Hasan Qasem, 43, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Marianne O. Battani to a two year term of probation and a $5,000 fine.

Qasem pleaded guilty in December 2007. According to the information filed in the case, from March 2004 through June 2004, the defendant purchased numerous money orders in the Tampa area, structuring the purchase of those money orders so as to evade record-keeping requirements for money order establishments. The defendant mailed the money orders to individuals at a travel agency located in Dearborn, Michigan, to transmit the funds to Yemen. In total, the defendant provided $53,000 to the travel agency for purposes of sending the money to Yemen.

United States Attorney Murphy said, "Laws relating to the interstate transmission of proceeds of structured financial transactions are designed to thwart those who seek to move money interstate or out of the country that is derived from surreptitious and illegal transactions. My office, working with quality federal investigators and the sophisticated techniques they employ, will continue to root out and prosecute cases of illegal financial transactions to make sure that money is not being moved for illegitimate purposes."