By Keith Bernard
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. June 13, 2024: In a dazzling display of American virtue, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has once again donned its cape to save the world from the menace of foreign corruption. See press release link Treasury Targets Corruption Network in Guyana | U.S. Department of the Treasury on this story.
This time, they have targeted the fearsome gold barons of Guyana, the Mohamed family, and their dastardly accomplice, government official Mae Thomas. Their crimes? Exploiting Guyana’s underdeveloped gold sector, evading taxes, and bribing officials. Clearly, only the U.S. Treasury could summon the moral fortitude to tackle such a grave threat to international stability.
Yes, folks, the valiant OFAC has swooped in, wielding Executive Order 13818 like Excalibur, to freeze the assets of Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed, their nefarious company Mohamed’s Enterprise, and their loyal racing team. Let’s not forget Mae Thomas, the former Permanent Secretary, who apparently traded her soul for cash payments and high-value gifts. The Treasury’s righteous indignation knows no bounds as it blocks their assets and issues dire warnings to anyone foolish enough to engage in transactions with these newly minted public enemies.
The Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson, proclaimed this act as a testament to their dedication to shielding the U.S. financial system from the slimy tentacles of corruption. Forget about the domestic issues or the billions lost to tax evasion within our own borders; the true threat lies in the Guyanese gold market!
This crackdown involved an impressive array of American agencies, from Homeland Security Investigations to the FBI’s Miami Field Office. It’s heartening to know that our nation’s top crime-fighting resources are united against the scourge of small-scale gold mining operations. Who needs to worry about local crime when we can focus on a few thousand kilograms of under-declared gold halfway across the world?
And let’s take a moment to appreciate the incredible contribution of Mohamed’s Enterprise to international gold markets. Their cunning schemes – evading taxes and bribing officials – are surely the stuff of legend. Imagine the horror of Guyanese gold being sold in the United States, Canada, the UAE, and the EU without proper taxation! This is the kind of global catastrophe that only the Treasury can avert.
Finally, the sanctions. A swift and mighty blow! All property and interests in the United States related to these villains are frozen. U.S. persons are forbidden from transactions with them. It’s practically a modern-day ex-communication, with the power to obliterate any remaining trace of these fiends from the hallowed grounds of the U.S. financial system.
So, three cheers for the Department of the Treasury, our noble knights in bureaucratic armor. As they continue their crusade against international corruption, we can all sleep a little sounder, knowing that the integrity of Guyanese gold is in good hands.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Keith Bernard is a Guyanese American and a frequent contributor to News Americas.
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