Diamond Dealer Pleads Guilty to Money Transfer Charge
By Rob Bates, Senior Editor -- JCK Online, 6/1/2004 2:00:00 AM
Diamond dealer Yehuda Abraham, 76, of Ambuy Gem Corp., recently pled guilty to charges of conducting an illegal money transfer that would have—although it was unknown to Abraham—aided a terrorist plot. He faces five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Prosecutors said they would push for a three-year sentence.
"I hope this sentence says to those involved in the money remitting business that we are going to take it seriously because they could be aiding terrorists," said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie.
In court, Abraham admitted operating a money remitting business without the proper license. Prosecutors say the transfer would have sold terrorists a surface-to-air missile that could bring down a jet plane.
Even prosecutors acknowledged that Abraham didn't know what the money was supposed to be used for, but that didn't necessarily help his case, as he had little to offer as far as corroborating testimony.
Abraham's lawyer Lawrence Krantz did not return a phone call from JCK .
