Several residents of the Houston area were arrested on April 2, facing charges of conspiracy, operating illegal game rooms, bribery, and money laundering. This follows one of the largest law enforcement operations in East Texas history.
The operation was coordinated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with help from several agencies, including the IRS Criminal Investigation, Houston Police Department, FBI, and others.
Charges also led to the arrest of 31 illegal aliens involved in immigration and firearms offenses. The indictment, originally returned on March 26 and unsealed upon the arrests, accuses Nizar Ali, 61, of Richmond, along with others, of operating illegal game rooms and engaging in financial transactions to conceal proceeds totaling over $22 million.
Over 700 law enforcement officers from 18 agencies executed 45 search and 40 seizure warrants at locations across Houston. The involved locations numbered 30 illegal game rooms, including El Portal and Yellow Building.
Authorities seized over $11 million in cash and bank accounts, $5 million in property and vehicles, 2,000 slot machines, 100 Rolex watches, and eight firearms. Additionally, approximately $6.5 million was seized from financial institutions.
Those taken into custody include Naeem Ali, 33, and Amer Khan, 68, among others. Sayed Ali, 59, and Stephanie Huerta, 35, are considered fugitives.
The charges carry potential prison terms and fines for conspiracy, operating an illegal gambling business, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Nizar Ali faces additional charges of federal program bribery for allegedly paying an undercover officer over $500,000. Conviction on these bribery counts could add up to 10 years to his sentence for each count.
Support for the operation was also provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the sheriff offices of Harris and Montgomery Counties, and other local agencies.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre, John Marck, and Carolyn Ferko, with asset seizure handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Fyffe and Tyler Foster.
It is important to note that an indictment is an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
