–points to need for credibility of US-indicted Azruddin Mohamed and his allegations to be questioned
PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali on Tuesday maintained that all his assets, including his farm, have been fully declared to the Integrity Commission, as he questioned the credibility of corruption allegations levelled against him by We Invest in Nationhood leader Azruddin Mohamed.
Responding to questions at a press conference, Dr. Ali dismissed claims that he owns a 150-acre “multi-million-dollar” ranch, saying the property is “60-plus acres”, and that the figure being circulated is “not even half” of what has been alleged.
“How credible is the person making the allegations? How credible are the allegations?” the President asked, as he pushed back against claims made by Mohamed, who is currently fighting extradition to the United States, where he faces charges including alleged gold smuggling and money laundering.
“First loan was sometime in 2012… I’ve said that I’ve declared every single thing in relation to my farm to the Integrity Commission, and I have a statutory responsibility to do so,” he told reporters.
The President said the property is “60-plus acres”, and stressed that it is “not even half” of what has been alleged.
“I have nothing to hide; every single thing that I own has been declared to the Integrity Commission,” Dr. Ali maintained, adding that details had also been documented by his accountant and submitted.
He accused Mohamed of deliberately falsifying information for political effect, and questioned his credibility, noting that the accuser himself faces serious allegations overseas.
Dr. Ali further criticised what he described as a wider trend of reckless accusations and “headline-driven” narratives, particularly on social media.
Mohamed is currently fighting extradition to the United States, where he faces charges related to alleged gold smuggling, money laundering and other offences.
Just last month, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) cleared the way for extradition proceedings against Azruddin and his father, businessman Nazar Mohamed, to resume after the presiding judges unanimously dismissed their appeal challenging the legality of the process initiated against them at the request of the United States.
In June 2024, both men and their associated companies were sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), a division of the United States Department of the Treasury, over allegations of gold smuggling and large-scale corruption. The sanctions announcement also referenced claims that more than US$50 million in taxes owed to the Guyanese state had been evaded.
United States authorities are believed to have begun investigating the Mohameds as far back as the mid-2010s. The probe reportedly involved intelligence-sharing and law-enforcement cooperation between Guyana and the United States.
Several American agencies were involved in the investigation, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security.
Prosecutors allege that between 2017 and 2024, the two businessmen participated in a scheme to export large quantities of gold from Guyana to the United States using falsified customs declarations and reused government export seals.
Investigators claim the operation enabled the shipment of more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold while avoiding the payment of taxes and royalties owed to the Guyanese state.
The indictment also references a shipment of gold valued at approximately US$5.3 million that was seized at Miami International Airport during the course of the investigation.
Following the indictment, the United States formally sought the surrender of the two men under the extradition arrangements between the two countries, giving rise to the ongoing committal proceedings before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
