Court defers ruling to Feb 9 on US-indicted father-son duo – US extradition request

Chief Justice (acting) Navindra Singh had set February 2, to deliver his ruling on the constitutional challenge and judicial review proceedings filed by US-indicted Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed in their bid to block their extradition to America.
However, he has now postponed that decision to February 9.
The Mohameds are essentially challenging sections of Guyana’s Fugitive Offenders Act and are seeking to quash the decision of the Minister of Home Affairs to issue the authority to proceed, which launched the extradition proceedings against the father-and son-duo. The Mohameds, through their team of lawyers, submitted that the extradition process was tainted by presumed and apparent bias.
The extradition of the Mohameds is being sought under the Guyana–United Kingdom extradition treaty, which continues to operate in Guyana pursuant to Section 4(1)(a) of the Fugitive Offenders Act, Cap. 10:04, as amended by Act No. 10 of 2024. The extradition request was formally submitted by the US Government on October 30, 2025.
The father-son duo have been indicted by a grand jury in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on 11 criminal charges ranging from wire fraud and mail fraud to money laundering, primarily connected to the export of gold to the US by their company, Mohamed’s Enterprises. The Mohameds are accused of conspiring to defraud the US and Guyanese Governments between 2017 and June 11, 2024. In October last year the US formally submitted an extradition request for the Mohameds. Prior to the indictment the Mohameds were sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2024. Azruddin was also embroiled in several local cases involving alleged tax evasion and also linked to the under-declaration of a Lamborghini valued at US$695,000 but declared at US$75,300.
The US has requested the extradition of the Mohameds to face the indictments, and those extradition proceedings are currently pending in the local courts. However, a court document filed in Florida and seen by Guyana Times states that Attorney Paster would be appearing as counsel for the US “regarding any forfeiture issues” in the case styled United States of America vs. Nazar Mohamed et al.
The Mohameds are accused of conspiring to defraud both the US and Guyanese Governments between 2017 and June 11, 2024. Prosecutors allege that the father-son duo used a scheme to unlawfully obtain property by transmitting communications through interstate and foreign commerce, in violation of US laws.
According to US prosecutors, the goal was to enrich themselves while defrauding the Government of Guyana by evading taxes and royalties on gold exports. They are accused of reusing Guyana Customs declarations and official seals on multiple shipments to falsely indicate that taxes and royalties had been paid. US authorities allege the scheme resulted in more than US$50 million in lost taxes and royalties to the Government of Guyana. Additional indictments detail similar conduct involving shipments of gold, emails allegedly from Nazar Mohamed requesting the sealed boxes from Miami and exports of over 165-kilograms (kg) of gold per shipment destined for Dubai. If convicted, most of the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and fines of up to US$250,000, while the money laundering charge carries a fine of up to US$500,000 or the value of the laundered property.
The US Government is also seeking forfeiture of certain assets connected to the accused. As a result, the assignment of Attorney Paster to the case is being viewed as significant, particularly pending the outcome of the extradition proceedings.
The Assistant US Attorney assigned to the matter is an experienced prosecutor in high-value forfeiture and transnational corruption cases. Last year, he was part of a prosecutorial team that secured more than US$20 million in a civil forfeiture case linked to a Venezuelan bribery and money-laundering scheme.