US-indicted Nazar, Azruddin Mohamed: Extradition request advances as key documents submitted to Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts

Extradition proceedings for United States (US) indicted businessmen Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin Mohamed resumed on Monday before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, with several key documents being formally submitted to the court. During the hearing, the prosecution tendered crucial documentation, including a diplomatic note, an authenticated declaration from the US Secretary of State, and arrest warrants for both men. These documents form part of the US’ official request for their extradition in connection with alleged financial crimes. The matter has been adjourned to November 24, 2025, for a report. Both Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed remain on $150,000 bail each as the extradition process continues. The Guyanese men are wanted in the US to face charges of fraud and money laundering. In fact, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)-sanctioned Mohameds have already 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, mail fraud and 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. The father-son duo is accused of using a scheme to unlawfully obtain property by transmitting communications via interstate and foreign commerce in violation of US laws. According to the prosecutors, the goal was to enrich themselves and defraud the Government of Guyana by evading taxes and royalties on gold exports. They allegedly reused Guyana customs declarations and official seals on multiple shipments to make it appear that taxes and royalties had been paid when they had not. The indictment stated that Mohamed’s Enterprise would pay taxes and receive official Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Guyana Gold Board (GGB) seals for one shipment, then reuse those same seals and documents on subsequent, untaxed shipments.
The indictment further alleges that the Mohameds arranged for empty wooden boxes bearing intact GRA and GGB seals to be shipped from gold buyers in Dubai to Miami, and then sent to Guyana. These boxes were then used to export gold while falsely appearing to have cleared customs and tax obligations. 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. Charges six to nine focus on mail fraud, referencing the shipment of sealed empty boxes from Dubai to Miami while charge 10 addressed money laundering which alleged that the Mohameds knowingly transferred funds within the US with the intent to promote unlawful activity. The other charge has to do with Azruddin Mohamed’s purchased and imported a Lamborghini sports car to Guyana in 2020. The indictment alleges he directed someone to purchase the car for US$680,000, then falsify the invoice to state a value of US$75,300 to understate import taxes. The sanctioned businessman, who is also the leader of the We Invest In Nationhood (WIN) Party, is presently before the local courts in relation to the importation of the sports vehicle and more so, for evading more than $380 million in taxes in violation of Section 217 of the Customs Act. He has also been charged with fraudulent declaration under the same act.
The US Government is seeking forfeiture of certain assets connected to the accused. If convicted, most 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 US$500,000 or the value of the laundered property. The indictment follows sanctions imposed over a year ago by the US Government on the Mohameds, their businesses, and Guyanese Government Permanent Secretary (PS) Mae Thomas in relation to the same allegations. The sanctions are related to the evasion of taxes on gold exports, with OFAC noting that between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10,000 kg of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana. Since the imposition of the sanctions, the Guyana Government had suspended the licences of the Mohameds’ various businesses, highlighting that the US-sanctioned businessman is a risk and a threat to Guyana’s financial stability, sovereignty, and diplomacy. Subsequently, several Government entities and local businesses, including commercial banks, have cut ties with the Mohameds.