Jilani Humayun
Encyclopedia
Jilani Humayun is a Pakistani-American
arms trader who was arrested in New York
on July 19, 2007, and charged
in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
with 11 counts of violating the federal
Arms Export Control Act
, one count of conspiracy
to commit mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering
.
In 2003, while employed with an aviation parts employer, Humayun applied to the United States Department of State
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) for an export license to send certain military equipment to an unidentified company in Malaysia. The application indicated that the Malaysian company was planning to forward the parts to the Saudi Arabia
n Ministry of Defense and Aviation
. The DDTC advised that the application was denied because the Malaysian company was an unreliable recipient of items on the United States Munitions List
.
In January 2004, Humayun formed his own company, Vash International, Inc., to engage in the business of export management for defense and logistic support, including tank
s, guided missile
s and rocket launcher
s. Then, on 11 separate occasions between January 2004 and May 2006, Humayun, via Vash International, exported to the Malaysian company Northrop F-5 and F-14 Tomcat
fighter jet parts and CH-47 Chinook
helicopter
parts. According to United States Attorney
Michael J. Garcia
, it is documented in public reports that the sole customer of F-14 parts is the Iranian Air Force
. Neither Humayun nor Vash International applied for or received the export license required to send the parts included in the 11 shipments outside the United States.
Humayun admitted that, at the Malaysian company's request, he undervalued the shipments on his export paperwork so that the Malaysian company could avoid paying Malaysian customs duties. This conduct forms the basis for the mail fraud conspiracy charged. Humayun is also charged with a money laundering conspiracy relating to the Malaysian company's wire transfer
payments totaling US$
357,085 to Vash International.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis denied a request by a prosecutor to order Humayun held without bail
. The judge set bond at US$500,000 and ordered Humayun detained at his home in Lynbrook, New York
after Humayun's lawyer, Joyce London, described her client as a "true New Yorker" who rarely traveled and had visited Pakistan only once since coming to the United States in 1981.
The arrest of Jilani Humayun followed action taken against Abdul Qadeer Khan
, another Pakistani arms trader, who was also involved in smuggling components to rogue states via Malaysia (see main article: Scomi Precision Engineering nuclear scandal
).
Pakistani American
A Pakistani American is any citizen or resident of the United States who has Pakistani heritage.- History in the United States :Muslim immigrants from areas that are now part of Pakistan have been migrating to America and first entered the United States as early as the eighteenth century, working...
arms trader who was arrested in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on July 19, 2007, and charged
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
with 11 counts of violating the federal
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
Arms Export Control Act
Arms Export Control Act
The Arms Export Control Act of 1976 gives the President of the United States the authority to control the import and export of defense articles and defense services. It requires governments that receive weapons from the United States to use them for legitimate self-defense...
, one count of conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
to commit mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
.
In 2003, while employed with an aviation parts employer, Humayun applied to the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) for an export license to send certain military equipment to an unidentified company in Malaysia. The application indicated that the Malaysian company was planning to forward the parts to the Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n Ministry of Defense and Aviation
Military of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's armed forces are mainly the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense and Aviation. The Ministry also has responsibility for the construction of civilian airports as well as military bases, and for Meteorology departments...
. The DDTC advised that the application was denied because the Malaysian company was an unreliable recipient of items on the United States Munitions List
United States Munitions List
The United States Munitions List is a list of articles, services, and related technology designated as defense-related by the United States federal government. This designation is pursuant to sections 38 and 47 of the Arms Export Control Act...
.
In January 2004, Humayun formed his own company, Vash International, Inc., to engage in the business of export management for defense and logistic support, including tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s, guided missile
Guided Missile
Guided Missile is a London based independent record label set up by Paul Kearney in 1994.Guided Missile has always focused on 'the underground', preferring to put out a steady flow of releases and developing the numerous GM events around London and beyond....
s and rocket launcher
Multiple rocket launcher
A multiple rocket launcher is a type of unguided rocket artillery system. Like other rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers are less accurate and have a much lower rate of fire than batteries of traditional artillery guns...
s. Then, on 11 separate occasions between January 2004 and May 2006, Humayun, via Vash International, exported to the Malaysian company Northrop F-5 and F-14 Tomcat
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
fighter jet parts and CH-47 Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
parts. According to United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
Michael J. Garcia
Michael J. Garcia
Michael J. Garcia is the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.Mr. Garcia is the prosecutor in charge of the federal investigation against the disgraced former governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer....
, it is documented in public reports that the sole customer of F-14 parts is the Iranian Air Force
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force ' is the aviation branch of the Iranian armed forces. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed....
. Neither Humayun nor Vash International applied for or received the export license required to send the parts included in the 11 shipments outside the United States.
Humayun admitted that, at the Malaysian company's request, he undervalued the shipments on his export paperwork so that the Malaysian company could avoid paying Malaysian customs duties. This conduct forms the basis for the mail fraud conspiracy charged. Humayun is also charged with a money laundering conspiracy relating to the Malaysian company's wire transfer
Wire transfer
Wire transfer or credit transfer is a method of electronic funds transfer from one person or institution to another. A wire transfer can be made from one bank account to another bank account or through a transfer of cash at a cash office...
payments totaling US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
357,085 to Vash International.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis denied a request by a prosecutor to order Humayun held without bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
. The judge set bond at US$500,000 and ordered Humayun detained at his home in Lynbrook, New York
Lynbrook, New York
Lynbrook is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 19,427 at the 2010 census. The Village of Lynbrook is inside the Town of Hempstead. The Village of Lynbrook's current mayor is William Hendrick....
after Humayun's lawyer, Joyce London, described her client as a "true New Yorker" who rarely traveled and had visited Pakistan only once since coming to the United States in 1981.
The arrest of Jilani Humayun followed action taken against Abdul Qadeer Khan
Abdul Qadeer Khan
Abdul Qadeer Khan , also known in Pakistan as Mohsin-e-Pakistan , D.Eng, Sc.D, HI, NI , FPAS; more widely known as Dr. A. Q...
, another Pakistani arms trader, who was also involved in smuggling components to rogue states via Malaysia (see main article: Scomi Precision Engineering nuclear scandal
Scomi Precision Engineering nuclear scandal
Syarikat Scomi Precision Engineering Sdn Bhd was established under the Scomi group of companies controlled by Kamaluddin Abdullah, a businessman who is the son of former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi...
).