Ex-Chicago comptroller extradited from Pakistan to serve jail term in US
Ahmad was sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2014 after pleading guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges
PHOTO: EXPRESS
A former Deputy Treasurer of the State of Ohio as well as ex-Chicago City Comptroller Amer Ahmad has been extradited from Pakistan, nearly nine months after he was sentenced in absentia, federal authorities said Wednesday night, according to Chicago Sun-Times.
Ahmad was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in December 2014 after pleading guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges. However, he fled to Pakistan to avoid punishment, where he was arrested from Lahore airport while travelling to Pakistan from Mexico on a forged visa and passport.
On Wednesday, Ahmad was extradited from Pakistan and flown to Columbus, Ohio, where he will appear for a hearing before US District Court Judge Michael H Watson on Friday, according to Eric Gibson, a US Justice Department trial lawyer who helped prosecute Ahmad.
Read: Ex-Chicago comptroller remanded in Pakistan, may be repatriated to US
Ahmad’s attorney, Karl Schneider, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Ahmad withdrew his opposition to be extradited.
“While the nuances of the process are unclear, he had asked his Pakistani lawyer to withdraw opposition to the US extradition efforts, which as we understand it, essentially paved way to this expedited circumstance,” Schneider said in an email. A judge in Pakistan recommended that he be extradited back to the US.
Read: Ex-Chicago Comptroller Saga: FIA yet to confirm accused as Pakistani citizen
“Amer Ahmad abused the public’s trust and ran halfway across the globe to hide,” FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Angela L Byers said in a statement Wednesday night. “Tenacious FBI Special Agents and investigators continued to pursue Ahmad until he could be returned to face justice. Now he will have plenty of time to reflect on his corrupt actions while serving out his lengthy prison sentence.”
Further, upon investigation in Pakistan, Ahmad failed to provide any valid evidence which shows he was born in Pakistan. FIA sources said that Ahmad’s entry was allowed simply because of his presumed Pakistani origin upon initial inquiry, as he had maintained that his parents are Pakistani citizens and that he was also born here. Although his forged Mexican passport merits a refusal to enter Pakistan, the fake Pakistani visa is what alerted FIA authorities and allowed them to bring the case into its ambit.
Read: Ex-Chicago comptroller shifted to Islamabad for extradition to US
Officials added that a huge amount of foreign currency carried by Ahmad raised suspicion, and that it was on these grounds that FIA immigration officials decided to take legal action under the relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and Emigration Ordinance.
Ahmad admitted in December 2013 that he used his position in Ohio to steer $3.2 million in securities and brokerage work to a high school classmate who kicked back $500,000 to Ahmad. Though that happened before Ahmad was hired by Emanuel in 2011 — and City Hall found no evidence Ahmad committed any crimes in Chicago — it was still seen as an embarrassment for Emanuel.
This article originally appeared on Chicago Sun-Times.
Ahmad was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in December 2014 after pleading guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges. However, he fled to Pakistan to avoid punishment, where he was arrested from Lahore airport while travelling to Pakistan from Mexico on a forged visa and passport.
On Wednesday, Ahmad was extradited from Pakistan and flown to Columbus, Ohio, where he will appear for a hearing before US District Court Judge Michael H Watson on Friday, according to Eric Gibson, a US Justice Department trial lawyer who helped prosecute Ahmad.
Read: Ex-Chicago comptroller remanded in Pakistan, may be repatriated to US
Ahmad’s attorney, Karl Schneider, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Ahmad withdrew his opposition to be extradited.
“While the nuances of the process are unclear, he had asked his Pakistani lawyer to withdraw opposition to the US extradition efforts, which as we understand it, essentially paved way to this expedited circumstance,” Schneider said in an email. A judge in Pakistan recommended that he be extradited back to the US.
Read: Ex-Chicago Comptroller Saga: FIA yet to confirm accused as Pakistani citizen
“Amer Ahmad abused the public’s trust and ran halfway across the globe to hide,” FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Angela L Byers said in a statement Wednesday night. “Tenacious FBI Special Agents and investigators continued to pursue Ahmad until he could be returned to face justice. Now he will have plenty of time to reflect on his corrupt actions while serving out his lengthy prison sentence.”
Further, upon investigation in Pakistan, Ahmad failed to provide any valid evidence which shows he was born in Pakistan. FIA sources said that Ahmad’s entry was allowed simply because of his presumed Pakistani origin upon initial inquiry, as he had maintained that his parents are Pakistani citizens and that he was also born here. Although his forged Mexican passport merits a refusal to enter Pakistan, the fake Pakistani visa is what alerted FIA authorities and allowed them to bring the case into its ambit.
Read: Ex-Chicago comptroller shifted to Islamabad for extradition to US
Officials added that a huge amount of foreign currency carried by Ahmad raised suspicion, and that it was on these grounds that FIA immigration officials decided to take legal action under the relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and Emigration Ordinance.
Ahmad admitted in December 2013 that he used his position in Ohio to steer $3.2 million in securities and brokerage work to a high school classmate who kicked back $500,000 to Ahmad. Though that happened before Ahmad was hired by Emanuel in 2011 — and City Hall found no evidence Ahmad committed any crimes in Chicago — it was still seen as an embarrassment for Emanuel.
This article originally appeared on Chicago Sun-Times.