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Most Wanted News: Eugene, Oregon Wanted Former Oregon Corrections Food Services Administrator - Farhad MonemWanted by the FBI for CONSPIRACY, MAIL FRAUD, WIRE FRAUD, BRIBERY, MONEY LAUNDERING, and INTERSTATE TRAVEL IN AID OF RACKETEERING
November 11, 2007 EUGENE OR NEWS -- A reward of up to $20,000 is offering by the FBI for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Farhad Monem. On October 19, 2007, a federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon returned a twenty-count indictment charging Farhad "Fred" Monem and his wife, Karen Monem with crimes relating to an alleged bribery scheme orchestrated by Fred Monem while working as the Food Services Administrator for the Oregon Department of Corrections. The indictment charges both Monems with conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, bribery, money laundering, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. As a Food Services Administrator, Fred Monem was responsible for negotiation and approval of food purchases for prisoners through the "Spot buy program." The couple together created a bogus corporation, Jamm Inc., to launder bribes from a California wholesale food distributor for state purchases. A federal investigation of this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oregon Department of Corrections also assisted in the investigation. On January 19, 2007, court filings revealed the alleged crimes committed by the Monems. Since then, federal authorities were in negotiations with the Monems seeking an agreed plea to criminal charges and an agreed settlement of the civil monetary claims of both the United States and the state of Oregon. Federal investigators and prosecutors had already seized approximately $650,000 in cash and other assets from the Monems. However, precipitating the filing of federal criminal charges, Fred Monem chose to flee Oregon instead of facing justice, therefore becoming a most wanted fugitive. Attorney General Hardy Myers on behalf of the State of Oregon, alleges that Farhad Monem and Karen Monem, over a period of about thirty months, received more than $600,000 in bribes from suppliers of distressed food to the Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC) in exchange for food purchases from the bribe-giving food suppliers. The complaint further alleges, among other claims of relief, that the conduct of Monem and Karen Monem, and the bribe-giving suppliers, violated Oregon's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (ORICO) Act and antitrust laws. Attorney General Myers said, "Until Monem became a fugitive from justice, Oregon had been working with the United States Attorney's office to resolve the state's civil claims against Monem arising from his alleged bribe-taking. His fleeing Oregon compels us to move to ensure that Monem's assets are applied to recover ODOC payments to food suppliers that the state alleges were funneled to Monem as bribes." There is evidence to show that Fred Monem and Karen Monem had been plotting their flight from prosecution as early as June, 2007, Karen Monem and her mother sold their boat for $25,000, receiving the money in the form of a cashier's check, which was then deposited into the Monems personal joint bank account with Wells Fargo Bank. Monem then transferred unseized funds from an Ameritrade/TD Warehouse to the Wells Fargo account. Beginning on June 27, 2007, either Fred or Karen Monem began withdrawing large amounts of cash from the joint bank account. The first withdrawal was for $9,000 on June 27, the day before a U.S. Attorney's Office meeting with the Monem family to discuss evidence gathered in the kickback scheme and a possible pre-indictment resolution. The day after the meeting, another withdrawal of $10,000 in cash was made from the Monem personal bank account. On July 1, 2007, Fred Monem flew to Buffalo, New York on a Southwest Airlines flight with a return flight date on July 11, 2007. Fred Monem never returned to Oregon. On July 11, 2007, Karen Monem attempted to withdraw another $10,000 from the Wells Fargo account, but the branch bank could only provide $5,000. Karen Monem proceeded to another Wells Fargo branch and withdrew $4,500 equaling $9,500 for that day. Karen Monem was arrested on July 18, 2007, by the FBI and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin in Eugene, Oregon. A warrant was then issued by Judge Coffin for Farhad "Fred" Monem arrest. Farhad Monem is described as:
Farhad Monem is bilingual, he speaks both Farsi and English, and has ties to California, Canada, and Iran. He was last known to be in Buffalo, New York. It is also believed that he likes to gamble, and is a heavy user of marijuana, hashish, and alcohol. Farhad Monem uses the following alias:
The maximum penalty for each of the conspiracy and interstate transportation charges is five years imprisonment, for each of the bribery charges it is ten years imprisonment, and for each of the fraud and money laundering charges it is 20 years imprisonment. Each of the offenses carries a maximum fine of $250,000. Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Farhad "Fred" Monem a most wanted fugitive, should immediately contact the nearest office of the FBI or the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Published by da: # # # |
