Ed Ahmad’s lawyer seeks further delay in sentencing

…to benefit from John Sampson case

Businessman Ed Ahmad who is facing sentencing in New York on April 25 for mortgage fraud conspiracy is seeking a further delay to June so he can benefit from reports on his cooperation with the US government in the conviction of former state senator, John Sampson.

Ahmad’s lawyer, Steven Kartagener yesterday wrote to Judge Dora Irizarry requesting a sentencing date after Sampson’s. In his letter seen by Stabroek News, Kartagener said that Ahmad was a “critical cooperator” in the Sampson case where sentencing is set for May 18, 2016.

“By granting this adjournment, the Court would be permitting (Ahmad) to get the benefit (of) his literally hundreds of hours served as a cooperator, which will undoubtedly be chronicled at length in the government’s anticipated 5K1 letter…”

Ed  Ahmad
Ed Ahmad

The 5 K1 letter is usually filed by the US Government when a defendant provides substantial assistance in the solving of other cases and the Government then seeks a reduction in the sentence.

Ahmad, who also has businesses here, agreed to cooperate against Sampson through a series of recorded meetings and telephone calls.

Oblivious, Sampson met with Ahmad at a Queens eatery in February, 2012, to discuss Ahmad’s case. He had not yet been indicted on embezzlement and was unsure if he was the target of an investigation. During Sampson’s trial, prosecutors played video and audio recordings of Sampson taking a cheque register that Ahmad had said could be evidence of the embezzlement, and sticking it in his jacket pocket.

John Sampson
John Sampson

Sampson’s defence had argued that Sampson had been entrapped by the government, and they emphasised that Ahmad agreed to cooperate with prosecutors only after he was charged with mortgage fraud.

During the trial, Ahmad also testified that he donated tens of thousands of dollars to Sampson’s failed run for Brooklyn District Attorney and his re-election campaigns.

“I thought if I didn’t give him the loan it could potentially strain our relationship and prevent him from helping me in the future,” Ahmad had said on the stand. Sampson, one of whose parents is Guyanese, had visited Guyana on several occasions.

If the judge grants a delay in Ahmad’s sentencing, it would be the fifth postponement. The first postponement from January 15, 2016  to February 12, 2016 was a result of an oversight by a probation officer. The other adjournments from February 12 to March 4th to March 21st and  April 25th were as a result of various applications by counsel for Ahmad.

Ahmad’s case has attracted great interest in Guyana because of his close ties to former president Bharrat Jagdeo. Ahmad had shipped a container of goods to Jagdeo at State House and many questions were asked about this.

Ahmad also operates a hardware facility on the site of the former headquarters of the PPP-aligned Mirror newspaper at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt. The Mirror is no longer printed at this location.

He also co-owns a wood processing facility which was controversially transformed into a housing project.