UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT OF OREGON

CRIMINAL MINUTES

CASE NO: CR 05-60008-02-HO DATE: April 16, 2010

PRESIDING JUDGE: MICHAEL R. HOGAN

DEPUTY CLERK: Sheryl Nogelmeier

Order granting defendant's motions to compel #s 247, 251 and 271 to the extent that the

court will issue the attached letter of rogatory. Defendant to submit Arabic translation of

letter to present to the court for court signature. Defendant is responsible for directing

letter to appropriate authority in Saudi Arabia.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Chris Cardani/Charles Gorder

Asst. U.S. Attorney

v.

Defendant: DEFENDANT'S COUNSEL

PIROUZ SEDAGHATY Steven Wax/Larry Matasar

 

CRIMINAL MINUTES DOCUMENT NO: 
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

DISTRICT OF OREGON 

EUGENE DMSION 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CR 05-60008-02-HO 

v. 

LETTERS ROGATORY 

PIROUZ SEDAGHATY, TO KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA 

Defendant. 

To: The Judicia! Authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 

The United States District Court for the District of Oregon presents its compliments 

to the judicial authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has the honor to request assistance 

in connection with the prosecution of Pirouz Sedaghaty, who is charged in the United States 

District Court for the District of Oregon with two offenses, each of which refer to 

Mr. Sedaghaty's involvement with the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation in the Kingdom of 

Saudi Arabia. 

A grand jury sitting in the District ofOregon returned an indictment on February 17, 

2005, charging Mr. Sedaghaty with two serious felony offenses. Specifically, Mr. Sedaghaty is 

charged with the following offenses against the United States: 
1. Conspiracy to Defraud the United States Government, in violation of Title 18, 

United States Code, Section 371, which is punishable by five years imprisomnent 

and a $250,000 fine; and 

2. False Return by Tax Exempt Organization in violation of Title 26, United States 

Code, Section n06( 1) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2, which is 

punishable by three years imprisomnent and a $250,000 fine. 

The indictment alleges that in February 2000 an individual in Egypt (Mr. El Fiki) 

sought to donate $150,000 to Al-Haramain as zakat to be sent to Chechnya. These funds were 

wire transferred by Mr. El Fiki to a bank account in Ashland, Oregon, USA, converted 

into travelers checks and a cashier's check, and taken out of the United States by 

Mr. Sedaghaty's co-defendant, Mr. Soliman AI-Buthe in March 2000. The indictment also 

alleges that Mr. Sedaghaty and Mr. Al-Buthe intended that the funds be delivered to the Chechen 

mujahideen, and that they engaged in a conspiracy to prevent the United States 

Government from learning of the transaction by failing to ml out paperwork, as required by 

law, acknowledging the funds were leaving the United States, and by filing a tax 

return with the Internal Revenue Service which falsified how the donated funds were 

distribnted by Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, Inc. The Court has been infoImed by the 

attomey for Mr. Sedaghaty that the attorney believes that Mr. Sami 'Abd Al 'Aziz AI-Sanad is 

resident in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has relevant testimony to offer in the trial of this 

case. 

In ·connection with this trial the United States Court requests that the judicial authorities 

of the KingdomofSaudi Arabia inquire of Mr. Sami 'Abd Al 'Aziz Al-Sanad by written 

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interrogatories whether Mr. AI-Sanad is willing to travel to Eugene, Oregon, USA, to waive his 

right against se!f-incrimination, and to testify voluntarily in the trial in June 2010. The travel 

expenses of the witness will be paid by the United States Govemment. 

In the event that Mr. AI-Sanad is unwilling to come to the United States, the Court 

requests that the judicial authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia further inquire by written 

interrogatories if Mr. AI-Sanad is willing to waive his rights against self-incrimination and make 

himself available to be deposed by defense counsel and the govemment lawyers in this case. 

The United States District Court for the District of Oregon assures the judicia! 

authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that the courts of the United States are 

authorized by statute, 28 U.S.c. § 1782, et seq., to assist foreign tribunals in the execution 

of similar requests. 

Further, the Court respectfully requests that in view of the June 7,2010, trial date, the 

judicial authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia consider this request for international 

judicia! assistance to be time-sensitive and that the appropriate authorities respond no later than 

May 1, 2010. 

Date I" 

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