Brothers plead guilty in Midamar export fraud trial
Jalel and Yahya Aossey, executives of Midamar Corp. and ISA Inc. and sons of the company’s founder, have both plead guilty for their participation in a fraud scheme that shipped beef products improperly labeled as halal to Malaysia and Indonesia. According to ABC News and The Gazette, the brothers each face short prison sentences but Yahya Aossey, convicted of misdemeanor charges, will ask for a deferred judgment and probation.
Jalel Aossey, 40, director and president of ISA, pleaded guilty to one felony count of the original 92-count indictment, stemming from the sale of halal beef products which didn’t originate from slaughtering facilities approved by Malaysia and Indonesia.
He admitted during his hearing to conspiring to cover up material facts by a scheme, making and using false statements and documents in a matter within the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture, making false statements on export certificates with the intent to defraud and committing mail and wire fraud from 2007 and continuing into April 2012. He faces up to five years and prison and a fine of $500,000 or more, and he will be required to resign from any position he holds at Midamar or North American Halal Food Industries, and any entities regulated by the USDA.
Yahya Aossey, 45, also pleaded guilty in a separate hearing to charges filed Thursday. He is being charged as the “responsible corporate officer,” pleading to two misdemeanor counts of selling and transporting meat food products that were misbranded at the time of sale or transportation.
He faces up to one year in prison on each charge and a fine of up to $100,000 on each charge, which will be up to the discretion of the judge. He also will ask the court for a deferred judgment on prosecution of count one of the 92-count indictment, which will be handled at sentencing.
The date for sentencing for the brothers has not been determined. Their father, Bill Aossey, 73, was convicted in July of 15 charges related to the export fraud and is in jail awaiting sentencing.
Source: The Gazette via ABC News
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