18 Indicted in Illegal Alien Ring

Nov. 9, 2004
WXIA-TV Atlanta
The Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) -- Eighteen people have been indicted on federal charges stemming from a ring that used illegal immigrants as employees in metro Atlanta gas stations and convenience stores, the U.S. Attorney's office said Tuesday.

The 18 have been charged with conspiracy and inducing and encouraging undocumented aliens to live in the United States, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office. Millions of dollars also are sought in the indictment. Initial court appearances on the charges began Tuesday.

Those indicted include: Malik Karimi, 42; Mansoor Karimi, 75; and Arif Merchant, 38; all of Duluth; Ramzan Karimi, 49; Lony Ahsan, 42; Nazmul Ahsan, 36; Rozina Jivan, 27; and Ritu Rao, 47; all of Atlanta, and Allauddin Karimi, 59, of Norcross.

Also indicted were Amanullah Devji, 31; Rafiq Devji, 37; Ameen Hakani, 38; Abdul Hamid, 57; Syed Hossain, 48; Samad Shaikh, 45; and Nawz Sharif, 42; all of Lilburn, Habibullah Hemani, 54, of Snellville and Shezad Ismail, 25, of Lawrenceville.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mansoor Karimi and his two sons, Malik and Ramzan Karimi owned a business called Sugar Bear Inc. They also owned and operated gas stations in the metro area.

The three created business agreements with the other defendants, leasing the gas station sites and employing illegal aliens at those sites, the statement said.

"The defendants used undocumented aliens as a means of attaining higher profits through non-payment of overtime compensation, non-payment of employer-share taxes and non-payment of emandatory employee benefits," the statement said.

The illegal aliens were paid in cash and through paychecks with fake Social Security numbers, with cash payments being concealed by fake vendor invoices, the statement said.

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