Fraud Dollars for Allah? FBI “source” leads agents to scam suspects linked to jihadist camps

(Christian Action Network) In his 35-page report, FBI special agent David J. Glawe credits an un-named “source” for much of his success cracking a $7 million fraud operation that CAN News observes to be linked to a jihadist camp in Red House, Virginia.

“I, through the source, conducted multiple controlled purchases of counterfeit clothing directly from Ronald Roundtree [beginning] January 2005,” Glawe said, referring to the 51-year-old Red House man found guilty among six others in the scam.

“In addition, in August and September, 2006, the source purchased counterfeit clothing directly from the business at 18 W. 27th Street, New York, NY.” [Gizmo Wear, Inc.,]

The link to New York City based conspirator Abbas Chouman, 43, and others came through the controlled purchases, surveillance, shipping documents and wire-tapped phone conversations gathered into a body of evidence that included conversation transcripts.

This led to a series of arrests and searches culminating on March 7 earlier this year.

“The source has been cooperating with the FBI for approximately 25 months and has provided reliable information relating to the criminal activities of the subjects of this investigation,” Glawe said.

Glawe logged dozens of controlled purchases that took place at key noted intervals in January, February, April, June, October and November, 2005.

The monitored buys continued at key intervals in January, March and July, 2006, before attention shifted to direct contact with Chouman’s Gizmo Wear location in New York City in August and September, 2006.

Monitored purchases on March 31, 2006 took place in an open-air setting at Z-Market, 1401 Park Ave., Lynchburg, Virginia.

The Source traveled with Roundtree and one of his three wives, Terri Singleton, 34, also charged in the case, to New York City to meet Abbas Chouman – and observed Hassan and Hussein Chouman also working at the Gizmo Wear location.

Glawe noted direct controlled purchases made in person there on August 18 and September 29, 2006.

In late February, 2007, FBI agents observed activities at Roundtree’s residence with Singleton on Woodlawn Avenue, Beckley, WV, and Glawe obtained shipping records from UPS on March 2, 2007, following forensic and expert examination of counterfeit items gathered into evidence.

The investigation drew to a close as he signed his report on March 6 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis W. Dohnal.

The next day, FBI and task force agents conducted searches in Lynchburg at 1121 Stratford Road, the Z Market at 1401 Park Avenue and 1009 Polk Street, an address linked to Vincente Rafael Pierre.

Agents also searched Pierre’s vehicle at Z Market where Pierre was on hand to sign the search warrant. They also searched a 2001 Ford Windstar Van linked to Roundtree through one of his non-indicted wives.

The searches yielded hundreds of items taken into evidence; most of the seized items were suspected counterfeit label clothing, CD and DVD products.

Also seized were documents, banking receipts, records, several cameras and cell phones, as well as Arabic language cassettes consistent with Islamic teaching tapes.

Arabic language materials mentioned in hand-written search warrant records, copies of which were obtained by CAN News, included hand-written notes, CD-Rom covers and additional cassette tapes found at Polk Street location linked to Pierre.

Vincente Rafael Pierre is not to be confused with Cherubin Pierre who was charged in the case, although both have ties to the Muslim of the Americas Red House camp.

Vincente Pierre, noted by the alias Raphael Upshur in U.S. Court records, was not charged in the scam or the conspiracy surrounding it, but he was a party in a 2001 federal fraud and firearms case.

A woman reportedly married to him, noted in the 2001 case as Traci Elaine Upshur, is noted in prior CAN News reports as the daughter of a Colorado man linked to a search and seizure finding a large cache of weapons and terror-related plans during an FBI investigation in the late 1990s.

Abbas Chouman received 57 months to serve recently from a federal judge in Richmond.

Hassan and Hussein Chouman are not charged in this case, but have both been charged on similar scam conspiracy warrants in New York City in 1996 and 1998 respectively.

Hussein Chouman received probation and $1,100 in fines and court costs for his role, and charges against Hassan Chouman were dismissed.

In September, Virginians Ismail Haqq, 33, Cherubin Pierre, 32, and Eric Harmon, 40, received eight- 24- and 27-month federal sentences to serve respectively. Haqq and Pierre are noted in prior CAN reports as having links to jihadist camps through Muslims of the Americas.

On August 2, Ishoc Uthman Ibn-Abdus Salaam, 26, of Pamplin, Virginia, netted 18 months in prison for his role in the scam.

Singleton cut a deal with prosecutors and received two years probation upon pleading guilty to her role in federal court July 5.
Roundtree pleaded guilty August 2, and is scheduled for sentencing in federal court, Richmond, on Wednesday, Nov. 14.