Khaled Abughanem, a 53-year-old resident of Lackawanna, New York, has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison after being convicted by a jury for his involvement in an international kidnapping conspiracy. U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. handed down the 204-month sentence following Abughanem's conviction on charges of conspiracy to kidnap a person in a foreign country, kidnapping conspiracy, and threatening to retaliate against a victim.
According to prosecutors Charles M. Kruly and Maeve E. Huggins, Khaled Abughanem and his son Adham traveled from Buffalo to Guadalajara, Mexico on September 8, 2021, as part of their plan to kidnap Khaled’s daughter. Between September 10, 2021 and April 6, 2023, the father and son conspired to move the victim from Western New York through Cairo, Egypt and ultimately to Sanaa, Yemen. There they confined her for about sixteen months with the intention of forcing her into marriage against her will.
On March 14, 2023, Khaled Abughanem threatened his daughter with violence in retaliation for information she provided to law enforcement regarding federal crimes.
Both Khaled and Adham Abughanem were found guilty at trial; Adham is awaiting sentencing. Another family member involved in the case—Waleed Abughanem—previously pleaded guilty to misprision of felony and received a three-year prison sentence.
“Khaled Abughanem, along with his sons and other family members, traveled internationally in an attempt to force his daughter and their sister into a forced marriage in Yemen,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “What this defendant and the others failed to recognize was holding someone against their will so they can enter into a forced marriage is a crime in the United States. Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct as he will now spend a significant period of time in prison.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI will aggressively pursue those who exploit family ties to commit violent crimes and deprive victims of their freedom,” said Philip Tejera, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to protecting victims and working with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for crimes that cross international borders.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service welcomes today’s sentencing of Khaled Abughanem for conspiring to kidnap his own daughter in New York and attempting to force her to marry in Yemen,” said DSS Protective Intelligence Investigations Director Greg Anderson. “Justice was served thanks to the unshakable courage of the victim in this case as well as the close collaboration between DSS, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York, the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Lackawanna Police Department.”
The investigation leading up to these convictions involved cooperation among several agencies: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Lackawanna Police Department led by Chief Mark Packard; U.S. Customs and Border Protection under Director Rose Brophy; as well as CBP personnel based out of Boston.
