–defends decision not to invite indicted businessman to U.S. Embassy reception
UNITED States Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, on Thursday, said it would have been “inappropriate” to invite sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed to the U.S. Embassy’s reception celebrating the United States’ 250th Independence Anniversary.
Mohamed is the leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party and is also the leader of the opposition.
Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of the reception in Georgetown, Ambassador Theriot explained that Mohamed was not invited because he remains under U.S. sanctions.
“He is currently indicted by the United States and he is sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, so it would have been inappropriate for us to invite him,” the Ambassador said.
The annual Independence Day reception was attended by senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the private sector and other invited guests.
Mohamed and his father Nazar “Shell” Mohamed are the subjects of an 11-count indictment filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
They face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and customs-related offences. Prosecutors allege the offences stem from a large-scale gold export and tax evasion scheme valued at approximately US$50 million.
According to court filings, the pair allegedly exported more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold between 2017 and 2024 using falsified customs declarations and reused export seals, enabling them to avoid taxes and duties owed to the Guyanese state.
Investigators further claim that a shipment of gold valued at US$5.3 million was intercepted at Miami International Airport during the probe.
The case has also drawn scrutiny from US financial regulators. In June 2024, the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the Mohameds and their associated companies over allegations tied to gold smuggling and corruption.
US authorities are believed to have been investigating the businessmen since the mid-2010s, with agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Homeland Security involved.
Following the indictment by a grand jury in October 2025, the United States formally requested the extradition of the two men, leading to their arrest in Georgetown on October 31, 2025.
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is set to rule soon on an application to appeal a Guyana Court of Appeal decision that was filed by the U.S. indicted businessmen.
The matter arises from an extradition request made by the United States Government on October 30, 2025, seeking the surrender of the two men to face criminal indictment.
Following the request, Guyana’s Minister of Home Affairs issued an Authority to Proceed under the Fugitive Offenders Act.
The following day, Magistrate Judy Latchman issued arrest warrants, initiating extradition proceedings, which are still ongoing.
The applicants later moved to the High Court in December 2025, challenging the legality of the Authority to Proceed and seeking to halt the extradition process. However, their claim was dismissed on February 4, 2026.
A subsequent appeal was also dismissed by the Court of Appeal on March 17, 2026, with both courts declining to grant a stay of proceedings.
