Debbie Schlussel: If You Fund Hezbollah, Steal $7 Mill from IRS, Make Sure You Have Kids
Just ask Elfat El Aouar. She helped her husband, indicted fugitive Talal Chahine, defraud the federal government of almost $7 million in taxes and launder $20 million in blood money to terrorist group Hezbollah--from their La Shish chain of Middle East restaurants in the Detroit area. And El-Aour lived high on the hog from her tax-free money, too--taking lavish trips, enjoying servants, and a very nice house.
Unfortunately, today, O'Meara--who has time and again gone soft on mobsters, Islamic terrorists, and other malefactors, while denying law-abiding citizens due process and notice--sentenced El Aouar to only 18 months in prison. With time off for good behavior, she could possibly be out in less than a year.
O'Meara gave the excuse that El-Aouar is the sole caregiver to her children. But so are many other criminals--who are not Islamic terrorist funders, and who don't get such a break. And she wouldn't be the "sole" caregiver, if she hadn't helped her husband evade the law and flee the country.
Clearly, Judge O'Meara intends to send a message to those who help Islamic terrorist from American soil that--even if they get caught--not much will happen to them.
Additionally, U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy III a/k/a "Abu Porno" and his underling, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Chadwell, share a good deal of the blame. They simply aren't serious about prosecuting Talal Chahine. They refused to charge either Chahine or his wife, El Aouar, with providing material and financial support to terrorism, even though the proof was there. And they allowed Chahine to flee the country--raiding his home, office, and other property several times over a year, but allowing him to travel outside of the country and flee--never seizing his passport, as is traditionally done.
And they continue to allow Chahine to live high on the hog as a fugitive in Lebanon, because they refuse to shut down his chain of 14 restaurants and to freeze his assets. Chahine continues to collect money from his Michigan-based businesses from Lebanon, because they allow him to.
18 months--and likely less--for stealing $7 million from the IRS and sending $20 million to Hezbollah. All because she has kids.
If only Al Capone would have known.
***
In 2005-2006, Lee Mroszak a/k/a "Crazy Cabbie"--a Gulf War veteran and New York-based radio disk jockey--served a year in prison for not paying taxes for a year. He got caught because he bragged about it on the Howard Stern show, and IRS agents heard him. Cabbie--who earned $100,000 that year in a promotional fight--did a full year, while this multi-millionairette terrorist funder may do much less.
Sickening.
***
Full disclosure: I have personal experience with Judge O'Meara, and he isn't bright. Like I said, he only cares about the rights of criminals and Islamic terrorists and their financiers. In my own experience, he didn't even understand the most basic of legal concepts you learn in the first year of law school, like Notice, Due Process, and Equal Protection--and he denied me all of those without even the slightest thought.
Thanks, Bill Clinton. More of that to come with President Hillary.
Posted by Debbie on May 15, 2007 04:20 PM to Debbie Schlussel