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U.S. imposes sanctions on corrupt actors in Guyana
The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Guyanese mining magnate Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin over allegations they defrauded Guyana's government of tax revenues and bribed public officials like Permanent Secretary Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas-Meerabux, the Treasury Department said. Photo: Internet Source
REUTERS
GEORGETOWN, Guyana - The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Guyanese mining magnate Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin over allegations they defrauded Guyana's government of tax revenues and bribed public officials like Permanent Secretary Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas-Meerabux, the Treasury Department said.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana - The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Guyanese mining magnate Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin over allegations they defrauded Guyana's government of tax revenues and bribed public officials like Permanent Secretary Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas-Meerabux, the Treasury Department said.
A company owned by the Mohameds was formerly part of a consortium building a $300 million logistics base in the South American country for oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N), opens new tab, but their company pulled out after Reuters reported the pair was facing criminal probes by U.S. law enforcement agencies.
The sanctions target three of the men's companies - Mohamed's Enterprise, Hadi's World and Team Mohamed's Racing team - as well as a Guyanese government official, Mae Thomas, who the U.S. Treasury described as the country's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labor.
U.S. Treasury Department official Brian Nelson said the action aimed to disrupt "those who seek to exploit Guyana’s underdeveloped gold sector for personal gain."
The sanctions were enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which is part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and is the body responsible for applying economic and trade sanctions. It blocks U.S. companies from doing business with sanctioned parties.
The Treasury designation did not mention Exxon or its shore base contract. Exxon said its contract is with a consortium of businesses of which Mohamed Enterprise has not been a part of since last year.
"ExxonMobil complies with all applicable laws and regulations where we operate," it said in a statement. "Any assertion to the contrary is ridiculous."
Guyana's government said on Tuesday it was seeking additional information from the United States about the sanctions, and had put Thomas on leave.
The Mohameds did not immediately reply to request for comments, but have previously denied any wrongdoing.
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