IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA : CRIMINAL NO. ____________

 v. : DATE FILED: ______________

KARIM MESSAOUD : VIOLATIONS:

ANIS NASR

: 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h)

(conspiracy to launder monetary instruments - 1 

count)

: 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(3)

(laundering monetary instruments - 35 counts)

I N D I C T M E N T

COUNT ONE

THE GRAND JURY CHARGES THAT:

1. From in or about April, 2000 to in or about September, 2002, in Philadelphia, in

the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, defendants

KARIM MESSAOUD

and 

ANIS NASR

conspired and agreed together and with other persons known and unknown to the grand jury, to

commit an offense against the United States, that is, to knowingly conduct and attempt to

conduct financial transactions with funds believed to be the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking,

with the intent to conceal and disguise the true nature, location, source, ownership, and control of

the proceeds of specified unlawful activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section

1956(a)(3).

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MANNER AND MEANS

2. Title 31, United States Code, Section 5313 et. seq. requires that depository and

financial institutions, and businesses conducting business with such institutions, report to federal

and state authorities all financial and currency transactions that exceed $10,000 per person per

day. 

It was part of the conspiracy that:

3. Defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR arranged for domestic and

 international transfers of money they believed was the proceeds of illicit drug trafficking. To

aid in the transfer of the drug money, defendants MESSAOUD and NASR structured the

transactions to evade and defeat the currency transaction reporting requirements and permitted

the use of false identification, fictitious names and fraudulent accounts to prevent discovery of

the senders’ true identities and to evade the reporting requirements.

4. Defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR met with undercover agents

and others posing as members of a drug trafficking organization and discussed with them plans

to conceal from the government deposits of cash and transfers of money through money

remitting agencies. Their discussions included structuring money transfers so that they would

each appear to be less than $10,000, thereby evading federal reporting requirements.

5. In conspiring to structure and in structuring the financial transactions outlined in

this indictment, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR split deposits that were

greater than $10,000 into numerous deposits, each of which was less than $10,000, and used fake

names and identification for each of those smaller sums, to avoid having the transfers reported to

federal authorities. 

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6. Defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR charged a percentage of each

transaction as a fee in exchange for structuring the transactions for the undercover officers and

others. 

7. From at least April 25, 2000 through on or about December 24, 2000, defendant

KARIM MESSAOUD owned and operated Wise Communications, a multiple service agency

that provided domestic and foreign Western Union money transfers, cellular telephone sales and

pre-paid telephone cards, located at 2024 Fairmount Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Defendant ANIS NASR was employed by and assisted in the operation of Wise

Communications.

8. After on or about December 24, 2000, when Wise Communications stopped

serving as an authorized Western Union service agency, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and

ANIS NASR arranged the transfer of money through other businesses and persons known and

unknown to the grand jury.

9. From in or about April 2000 through in or about September 2002, defendants

KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR transferred approximately $407,500 which they

believed to be the proceeds of illegal drug activity. 

OVERT ACTS

In furtherance of the conspiracy, the following overt acts, among others, were

committed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere:

1. On or about April 25, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD transferred $.1000

using fake identification to the Dominican Republic via Western Union, believing that the funds

were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

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2. On or about May 1, 2000, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR

transferred $12,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into three Western

Union transfers of $4,000 each and using false identification, believing that the funds were the

proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

3. On or about May 10, 2000, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR 

transferred $12,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into three Western

Union transfers of $4,000 each and using false identification, believing that the funds were the

proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

4. On or about May 15, 2000, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR 

transferred $14,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into three Western

Union transfers, namely two $5,000 transfers and one $4,000 transfer, and using false

identification, believing that the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

5. On or about May 31, 2000, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR 

transferred $12,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into two Western

Union transfers, one for $7,000 and one for $5,000, and using false identification, believing that

the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

6. On or about June 6, 2000, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR 

transferred $12,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into three Western

Union transfers of $4,000 each and using false identification, believing that the funds were the

proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

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7. On or about June 8, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD transferred $9,000 to 

the Dominican Republic by splitting the money into two Western Union transfers, one for $5,000

and the other for $4,000, and using false identification, believing that the funds were the

proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

8. On or about June 14, 2000, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR 

transferred $12,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into three Western

Union transfers of $4,000 each and using false identification, believing that the funds were the

proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

9. On or about July 6, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD transferred $6,000 to

the Dominican Republic via Western Union by using a false name, believing that the funds were

the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

10. On or about July 19, 2000, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR 

transferred $14,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into four Western

Union transfers, two transfers of $4,000 and two transfers of $3,000, and using false

identification, believing that the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

11. On or about July 21, 2000, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR 

transferred $12,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into three Western

Union transfers of $4,000 each and using false identification, believing that the funds were the

proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

12. On or about July 25, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and another 

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transferred $22,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into five Western

Union transfers, one transfer of $6,000 and four transfers of $4,000, and using false

identification, believing that the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

13. On or about July 26, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and another 

transferred $8,500 to the Dominican Republic by splitting the money into two Western Union

transfers of $4,000 each and using false identification, believing that the funds were the proceeds

of illegal drug trafficking. 

14. On or about August 10, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and another 

transferred $16,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into three Western

Union transfers, two transfers of $5,000 and one transfer of $6,000, and using false

identification, believing that the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

15. On or about August 17, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and another 

transferred $6,000 to the Dominican Republic via Western Union using a false name, believing

that the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

16. On or about August 29, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and others 

transferred $20,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into five Western

Union transfers of $4,000 each and using false identification, believing that the funds were the

proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

17. On or about September 13, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and others 

transferred $18,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into four Western

Union transfers, two transfers of $5,000 and two transfers of $4,000, and using false

identification, believing that the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

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18. On or about November 29, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and another

transferred $9,000 to the Dominican Republic via Western Union, splitting the money into two

transfers, one for $4,000 and one for $5,000, and using a false name, believing that the funds

were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

19. On or about December 4, 2000, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and another 

transferred $12,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into three Western

Union transfers of $4,000 each and using false identification, believing that the funds were the

proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

20. On or about June 20, 2001, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR 

and another transferred $20,000 to the Dominican Republic by structuring the money into three

Western Union transactions, two of $7,000 and one transfer of $6,000, and using false

identification, believing that the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

21. On or about June 26, 2001, defendants KARIM MESSAOUD and ANIS NASR 

transferred $36,000 by depositing monies into their own bank accounts and structuring the wire

transfers into four transfers of $9,000 each and using false accounts, believing that the funds

were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

22. On or about August 10, 2001, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and another

transferred $34,000 by structuring the money into six Western Union transfers, four transfers of

$6,000 and two transfers of $5,000, and using false identification, believing that the funds were

the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

23. On or about June 13, 2002, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD and another

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transferred $20,000 by structuring the money into four Western Union transfers of $5,000 each

and using false identification, believing that the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug

trafficking. 

24. On or about September 23, 2002, defendant ANIS NASR transferred $55,000 by 

depositing monies into his own bank accounts and structuring the wire transfers into four

transfers of $9,000 each and one cashier’s check for $28,000, and using false accounts, believing

that the funds were the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. 

All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h).

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COUNTS TWO THROUGH TWENTY FOUR

THE GRAND JURY FURTHER CHARGES THAT:

1. Paragraphs 2 through 9 of the manner and means section of Count One are

incorporated here.

2. Defendant KARIM MESSAOUD applied for and operated the Western

Union service center through his business at Wise Communications by falsely representing that

he was someone else with a good credit history. 

3. Defendant KARIM MESSAOUD was provided with documentation and

information from Western Union regarding the reporting requirements imposed by Western

Union and the possible criminal penalties associated with violating the anti-money laundering

and currency transaction reporting requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act.

4. On or about the dates set forth below, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern

District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, defendant

KARIM MESSAOUD

knowingly conducted and aided and abetted the following financial transactions affecting

interstate commerce:

Defendant’s Approximate

Approximate Amount 

Count Date Fees Laundered

2 04/25/00 $ 248 $ 1,000

3 05/01/00 $ 2,355 $ 12,000

4 05/10/00 $ 2,400 $ 12,000

5 05/15/00 $ 3,100 $ 14,000

6 05/31/00 $ 2,359 $ 12,000

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7 06/06/00 $ 2,400 $ 12,000

8 06/08/00 $ 1,800 $ 9,000

9 06/14/00 $ 2,350 $ 12,000

10 07/06/00 $ 1,220 $ 6,000

11 07/19/00 $ 2,800 $ 14,000

12 07/21/00 $ 2,400 $ 12,000

13 07/25/00 $ 4,040 $ 22,000

14 07/26/00 $ 1,666 $ 8,500

15 08/10/00 $ 3,160 $ 16,000

16 08/17/00 $ 1,250 $ 6,000

17 08/29/00 $ 3,844 $ 20,000

18 09/13/00 $ 3,800 $ 18,000

19 11/29/00 $ 1,500 $ 9,000

20 12/04/00 $ 1,900 $ 12,000

21 06/20/01 $ 1,960 $ 20,000

22 06/26/01 $ 4,500 $ 36,000

23 08/10/01 $ 3,180 $ 34,000

24 06/13/02 $ 1,900 $ 20,000

______ _______

TOTALS: $56,132 $337,500

5. When conducting and aiding and abetting the financial transactions described in

paragraph 4 above, defendant KARIM MESSAOUD believed that the property involved in those

financial transactions represented the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity. 

6. The financial transactions described in paragraph 4 above were represented to be

proceeds of a specified unlawful activity, that is, illegal drug trafficking, in violation of Title 21,

United States Code, Section 841, and defendant KARIM MESSAOUD acted with knowledge

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that the transactions were designed, in whole and in part, to conceal and disguise the nature,

location, source, ownership and control of what he believed were the proceeds of the specified

unlawful activity, and with intent to promote the carrying on of specified unlawful activity, and

knowing that the transactions were designed in whole and in part to avoid transaction reporting

requirements under state or federal law.

All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(3) and 2.

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COUNTS TWENTY FIVE THROUGH THIRTY FIVE

THE GRAND JURY FURTHER CHARGES THAT:

1. Paragraphs 2 through 9 of the manner and means section of Count One are

incorporated here.

2. Defendant ANIS NASR was provided with documentation and information from

Western Union regarding the reporting requirements imposed by Western Union and the possible

criminal penalties associated with violating the anti-money laundering and currency transaction

reporting requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act.

3. On or about the dates set forth below, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District 

of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, defendant

ANIS NASR

knowingly conducted and aided and abetted the following financial transactions affecting

interstate commerce:

Defendant’s Approximate

Approximate Amount 

Count Date Fees Laundered

25 05/01/00 $ 2,355 $ 12,000

26 05/10/00 $ 2,400 $ 12,000

27 05/15/00 $ 3,100 $ 14,000

28 05/31/00 $ 2,359 $ 12,000

29 06/06/00 $ 2,400 $ 12,000

30 06/14/00 $ 2,350 $ 12,000

31 07/19/00 $ 2,800 $ 14,000

32 07/21/00 $ 2,400 $ 12,000

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33 06/20/01 $ 1,960 $ 20,000

34 06/26/01 $ 4,500 $ 36,000

35 09/23/02 $12,060 $ 70,000

______ _______

TOTALS: $36,684 $226,000

4. When conducting and aiding and abetting the financial transactions

described in paragraph 3 above, defendant ANIS NASR believed that the property involved in

those financial transactions represented the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity. 

5. The financial transactions described in paragraph 3 above were represented to be

proceeds of a specified unlawful activity, that is, illegal drug trafficking, in violation of Title 21,

United States Code, Section 841, and defendant ANIS NASR acted with the knowledge that the

transactions were designed, in whole and in part, to conceal and disguise the nature, location,

source, ownership and control of what he believed were the proceeds of the specified unlawful

activity, and with intent to promote the carrying on of specified unlawful activity, and knowing

that the transactions were designed in whole and in part to avoid transaction reporting

requirements under state or federal law.

All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(3) and 2.

A TRUE BILL:

___________________________

GRAND JURY FOREPERSON

 

PATRICK L. MEEHAN 

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

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