Local comedian denied entry to US after public support for sanctioned Mohameds

Despite previous denials by United States (US)-sanctioned businessman Nazar Mohamed that individuals linked to his family were being targeted by the US, Odessa Primus—a local comedian, activist, and one of the family’s most outspoken defenders—was denied entry into the US on Friday.

For some time, Primus has been public in her support for the Mohameds, who were sanctioned by the US last year over a litany of suspected transnational offences. When the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) arrived at the Mohameds’ residence to carry out a seizure of assets he had underpaid taxes for, she had also been present and was one of the family’s most vociferous defenders.
She has also been a habitual visitor to the US, even being seen in the company of lobbyist Barry Bennett. That all changed on Friday, when Primus who had travelled to New York, was denied entry at the John F Kennedy Airport. It further emerged that rather than contest her refusal of entry, she voluntarily withdrew her application and returned to Guyana.
Upon her return to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Friday night, Primus was confronted by local journalists and denied that she was questioned about the Mohameds. She also declined to confirm or deny if her visa was revoked.
There are a number of reasons that the US can deny entry to someone with a B-1 visa, even at the port of entry. These reasons include if the person is attempting to conduct activities outside of the visa’s scope, being deceptive during inspection, a criminal record or association with those with a criminal record, or lack of proper documentation.
In 2024, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had announced that it sanctioned members of one of Guyana’s wealthiest families, Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin Mohamed, several of their companies, and a Guyanese Government official, Mae Thomas, for their roles in alleged public corruption in Guyana.
According to a statement from OFAC, this is related to the evasion of taxes on gold exports, noting that between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10 thousand kilograms (kg) of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than $50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana.
Subsequently, Nazar Mohamed resigned as a Councillor for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on one of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) while Thomas resigned from her post of Permanent Secretary and also as a member of the party.
As the Government awaited feedback from the US on the matter, Mohamed’s Enterprise Cambio licence was also suspended while all Government agencies have stopped conducting business with the Mohameds and their related companies.
Following the Government’s receipt of further information, a number of measures were taken by the law enforcement agencies against the Mohameds. In March, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) decided not to renew cabotage permission for foreign flagged ships linked to Hadi’s World, one of the companies operated by the Mohameds, over US sanctions.
MARAD explained that this decision which effectively revoked previous permission granted to ships that provide services to the Mohamed’s enterprises, was made due to Mohamed’s sanction by Department of Treasury’s OFAC.
Nazar Mohamed subsequently accused the Guyanese Government of unfair treatment.
Speaking on the Team Mohamed Facebook page, Nazar stated that the sanction was about family, particularly his son Azruddin Mohamed and companies, including Mohamed’s Enterprise, Hadi’s World, and Team Mohamed’s Racing Team.
However, Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo had dismissed these arguments as an attempt to downplay the severity of the sanctions, reiterating that the US Government has compiled substantial evidence of corruption.
“You were sanctioned for massive corruption…we didn’t impose the sanctions, the whole worry started with the sanctions, not the PPP taking actions against them. There’s space for everyone in this country, even in the political environment. And people are free to run. But don’t try to present false reasons. They’re worried about the US sanction. They’re hoping to get out of it.”
“And they believe going into politics, like others, would shield them from maybe what’s coming. But we didn’t start this. We didn’t start to do the two and a half years or three years probe into them before the sanctions came. It was the US Government, multi-agency US Government, involving several levels of the US Government,” VP had said.
The VP had also gone on to clarify that Government’s refusal to work with the Mohamed is not a targeted attack but steps taken to protect Guyana’s integrity.