Thread by @MissMaga2016

Nader Mohamad Farhat, a Lebanese national who ran a large, currency exchange biz in Paraguay, who has suspected ties to Hezbollah, was just extradited to Miami to face money laundering charges.

#ProjectCassandra #ButNothingsHappening

miamiherald.com/news/local/cri…

So far, he's been charged with various money laundering offenses related to proceeds from drug trafficking and for transmitting unlicensed currency in the US. It also looks like he's being charged in Miami AND New York.

He was originally arrested by Paraguay with help from the DEA on May 17, 2018. The Lebanese embassy there tried to pressure Paraguay NOT to extradite him, but obviously that didn't work, LOL.

Farhat operated his criminal enterprise in what's called the "Tri-Border Area," which is between Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina and comprised of 3 cities in those countries, which, combined, is considered one of the biggest illicit economic areas in the West.

Authorities said that tons of illicit money moved through currency exchanges in Paraguay to fund Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists.

One of Farhat's customers, Mahmoud Ali Barakat, who is an importer of cellphones from the US to his stores in Paraguay, was also charged with money laundering and wire fraud in relation to drug trafficking.

Reportedly, prosecutors noted that the Farhat and Barakat cases are related to charges of 7 other people in New York last November, where owners of electronics & cellphone companies in NY & Miami used their companies to launder drug money to South America.

Those other 7 people were charged back on November 15, 2018 for laundering drug trafficking money and "other criminal activity.'

They laundered the money by selling cellphones internationally and used their import-export businesses to disguise it.

ice.gov/news/releases/…

Here's the DOJ announcement about their arrests.

"The government’s investigation included extensive court-ordered wiretaps of the defendants, as well as undercover federal agents posing as drug dealers."

justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/s…

According this article, Farhat is alleged to be a member of Hezbollah’s External Security Organization branch, "The Business Affairs Component," which is in charge of running their overseas drug and money operations.

foreignpolicy.com/2018/06/15/leb…

Interesting....before Farhat was extradited, back in 2017, Paraguay had 2 Turks in prison who were linked to Ali Issa Chamas, another Lebanese drug trafficker who was extradited to the US, but those 2 Turks escaped prison the day after being prosecuted.

abc.com.py/edicion-impres…

The Minister of Justice then fired the Director of that prison.

abc.com.py/nacionales/nar…

Here's some info on Hezbollah's "Business Affairs Component," aka 'BAC,' a hierarchy inside of Hezbollah that was identified by the DEA some years ago.

docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA…