US Govt. looks to complete Ed Ahmad’s prosecution in two weeks
….final pre-trial hearing set for Wednesday
The final pre-trial hearing for Edul Ahmad, the indicted associate of former President Bharrat Jagdeo, has been set for Wednesday. Following this, the jury selection process will commence.
Ahmad who is currently free on a bond had applied for permission to leave the New York jurisdiction to attend a separate trial he is involved with.
Judge Dora Irizarry had acceded to his request for permission to travel to the District of New Jersey “so that he may appear in court on a civil matter.”
Ahmad has retained as defence attorney, Steven Kartagener, and according to the US Court reports, “Neither party anticipates filing motions in limine.”
His trial has been adjusted due to scheduling conflicts and the US Government is contending that it will just need two weeks to conclude its prosecution against Ahmad.
According to the US reports, the defence team is looking to complete the defence in a week and as such the courts is looking to set aside one month for the trial.
The jury selection process will commence by the following Monday after which the trial is expected to begin.
In December it was reported by the New York Post, that Queens-based Guyanese businessman Ahmad had entered into “extensive plea negotiations” that had been slated to last for several months.
Ahmad was arrested last July on charges of operating a $50 million mortgage-fraud scheme in Queens. He faces a maximum of 30 years in jail. He is out on $2.5 million bail.
According to the Post article, court records also revealed that three alleged co-conspirators — Ahmad’s cricket pals and employees — were also indicted in an associated case last month.
Queens-based brokers, Qayaam Farrouq, Mohamed Gurmohamed and Steve Massiah were charged with defrauding banks and mortgage companies by falsifying mortgage- loan applications to make borrowers appear more creditworthy to financial institutions, the US newspaper reports.
The federal authorities later dropped charges against Massiah.
Ahmad’s relationship with Meeks came under intense scrutiny last year after the Democratic congressman revealed that he had received the $40,000 payment from Ahmad in 2007. Meeks only revealed the payment after Ahmad was questioned by the FBI last year. He claims he repaid the money following the quizzing.
The House ethics committee is probing whether the payment was a gift and not a loan, as the congressman has maintained.
