Tech & Biz

US Government Wants Forfeiture of Mosques with Ties to Iran

by Amy Judd | November 12, 2009 at 03:57 pm

112 views | 36 Recommendations | 5 comments

The U.S Government announced today that it is seeking forfeiture on all properties belonging to the Alvai Foundation and Assa Corp as they they believe that they are transferring money to a bank that is owned by the Iranian Government. These properties includes at least three mosques and one skyscraper in Manhattan.

The skyscraper in Manhattan is a 36-story office block located on Fifth Avenue, and is owned by 650 Fifth Avenue Company, which is a partnership between the Alvai Foundation and Assa Corp. The complaint filed today says that money was transferred from 650 Fifth Avenue company to Bank Melli, which is owned and controlled by the Iranian Government.

The amended complaint seeks forfeiture of all assets of the Alavi Foundation and Assa Corp., including bank accounts owned by 650 Fifth Avenue Company, the Alavi Foundation and Assa Corp.; and properties owned by the foundation in New York, Maryland, Virginia, Texas and California.

The complaint states that the companies violated the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, executive orders and U.S. Department of Treasury regulations. The government thinks that the properties were involved in money laundering.

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Rhonda J Mangus

at 16:02 on November 12th, 2009

Thanks for this, Amy.

Roy C

at 19:56 on November 12th, 2009

Putting our wall back up. Good story.

marianmo

at 19:57 on November 12th, 2009

sounds like a good idea

Pythiian1

at 20:15 on November 12th, 2009

Great timely post, Amy. Some additional details as discussed below, including URLs. The Southern District has filed the 97-page complaint.

While the action to seize a half-billion dollars in assets of the Alavi Foundation is dramatic, suspicions that the organization is controlled by Tehran date back for more than a decade. A 1995 article by Iran researcher Ken Timmerman cited an FBI report from a year earlier which concluded that the foundation was "entirely controlled by the government of Iran."

A 97-page complaint filed today in federal court seeks forfeiture of mosques in Queens, N.Y., Houston, Texas, Rockville, Md., and Carmichael, Calif. as well as a 35-story office tower at 650 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

Sputnic

at 09:12 on November 13th, 2009

Good idea, I hope many other countrys follow. The same thing should happen to the CIA and MOSAD as well. Opium production in Afghanistan prior to 2001 was zero, they now supply the world again. Air America anyone ? Wherever corruption is found it should be removed.