US authorities said on Friday Altaf Khanani, a well-known money-changer, was arrested for involvement in laundering funds for designated terrorist organisations.
Claiming Khanani was arrested in September, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement, “DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P Wright stated, ‘DEA arrested Altaf Khanani on September 11, 2015 pursuant to a grand jury sealed indictment.’”
The statement added, “The Khanani Money Laundering Organisation (MLO) is a TCO composed of individuals and entities operating under the supervision of Pakistani national Altaf Khanani, who the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested this September.”
“The Khanani MLO facilitates illicit money movement between Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other countries, and is responsible for laundering billions of dollars in organised crime proceeds annually,” the statement added.
Further, the statement accused Khanani Money Laundering Organisation (MLO) of laundering illicit funds for organised crime groups, drug trafficking organisations and designated terrorist groups throughout the world.
“Altaf Khanani, the head of the Khanani MLO, and Al Zarooni Exchange have been involved in the movement of funds for the Taliban, and Altaf Khanani is known to have had relationships with Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Dawood Ibrahim, al Qaeda, and Jaish-e-Mohammed,” the statement further said.
Altaf was a partner of Kalia group, one of the biggest money-changers working under the name of Khanani and Kalia. The exchange company was banned about five years ago and their offices were sealed by the FIA. Four of their employees were jailed, but the case could not be proved against them in court. They were released, but the State Bank did not restore their licence because they were also wanted in money laundering cases in a number of countries.
Additionally, the US authority also designated Dubai-based money services business Al Zarooni Exchange for being owned directly or indirectly by the Khanani MLO, and for materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial support to the Khanani MLO.
Their properties in which the Khanani MLO or Al Zarooni Exchange has an interest, were blocked and US persons were prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
