LONDON: The extradition hearing of Indian citizen Sundar Nagarajan, accused by the US of involvement in a vast money-laundering and sanctions evasion network to benefit one of the alleged top financiers of the Lebanese terrorist group Hizbollah, has been scheduled for January 22 and 23, 2024.
Nagarajan, a retired accountant, is accused of helping facilitate the payment, shipment, and delivery of cash, diamonds and art for the benefit of Nazem Said Ahmad, a dual Belgian-Lebanese citizen, who, according to the US government, Hizbollah uses to launder substantial amounts of money bound for the terrorist group.
In December 2019 the US Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Ahmad and businesses associated with him as specially designated nationals for materially supporting Hizbollah, making it unlawful for any person in the US to engage in transactions with them.
But despite being prohibited from engaging in most transactions with people in the US, Ahmad continued to secure valuable goods and services from people in the US. The US alleges that Nagarajan, and others, used numerous entities and individuals to disguise Ahmad’s control and beneficial interest in the companies and in financial transactions, to facilitate the acquisition of multiple pieces of valuable artwork and diamond-grading services for millions of dollars worth of diamonds from US persons.
According to the US government, Nagarajan acted as Ahmad’s primary international accountant and facilitated payment for and shipment of art that Ahmad purchased from major auction houses and galleries. He denies the charges.
The US is seeking to extradite Nagarajan to face several charges, including conspiring to defraud the US, violating global terrorism US sanctions, smuggling goods from the US, unlawfully importing goods into the US, and wire fraud. Some of these offences could land him a 20-year prison sentence.
Nagarajan (65) appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court on Wednesday via a video link from Wandsworth prison where he has been detained since his arrest at his Hayes home on April 18. His bail applications to date have been rejected. He appeared calm and addressed the judge politely.
Born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, he has lived in the UK since 2016 and has pre-settled status to remain until June 2024. His wife committed suicide on April 21 as a direct result of his arrest. She had Belgian citizenship and the couple own a property in Belgium.
George Hepburne Scott, representing Nagarajan, is instructed by Magdalena Motyl of Bark & Co.
Scott told the court that Nagarajan would be using arguments of dual criminality, a medical condition, and his right to be protected from inhumane treatment.
The court set various dates for evidence and skeleton arguments by both sides to be submitted.
Nagarajan will next appear on August 9. The US government has instructed one of the top extradition barristers, Mark Summers KC, to prosecute on its behalf. Summers represented India in the extradition hearing against liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, and Julian Assange in his battle against extradition to the US.
Nagarajan, a retired accountant, is accused of helping facilitate the payment, shipment, and delivery of cash, diamonds and art for the benefit of Nazem Said Ahmad, a dual Belgian-Lebanese citizen, who, according to the US government, Hizbollah uses to launder substantial amounts of money bound for the terrorist group.
In December 2019 the US Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Ahmad and businesses associated with him as specially designated nationals for materially supporting Hizbollah, making it unlawful for any person in the US to engage in transactions with them.
But despite being prohibited from engaging in most transactions with people in the US, Ahmad continued to secure valuable goods and services from people in the US. The US alleges that Nagarajan, and others, used numerous entities and individuals to disguise Ahmad’s control and beneficial interest in the companies and in financial transactions, to facilitate the acquisition of multiple pieces of valuable artwork and diamond-grading services for millions of dollars worth of diamonds from US persons.
According to the US government, Nagarajan acted as Ahmad’s primary international accountant and facilitated payment for and shipment of art that Ahmad purchased from major auction houses and galleries. He denies the charges.
The US is seeking to extradite Nagarajan to face several charges, including conspiring to defraud the US, violating global terrorism US sanctions, smuggling goods from the US, unlawfully importing goods into the US, and wire fraud. Some of these offences could land him a 20-year prison sentence.
Nagarajan (65) appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court on Wednesday via a video link from Wandsworth prison where he has been detained since his arrest at his Hayes home on April 18. His bail applications to date have been rejected. He appeared calm and addressed the judge politely.
Born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, he has lived in the UK since 2016 and has pre-settled status to remain until June 2024. His wife committed suicide on April 21 as a direct result of his arrest. She had Belgian citizenship and the couple own a property in Belgium.
George Hepburne Scott, representing Nagarajan, is instructed by Magdalena Motyl of Bark & Co.
Scott told the court that Nagarajan would be using arguments of dual criminality, a medical condition, and his right to be protected from inhumane treatment.
The court set various dates for evidence and skeleton arguments by both sides to be submitted.
Nagarajan will next appear on August 9. The US government has instructed one of the top extradition barristers, Mark Summers KC, to prosecute on its behalf. Summers represented India in the extradition hearing against liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, and Julian Assange in his battle against extradition to the US.