Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday addressed the growing concerns surrounding the recent sanctions imposed by the United States on the Mohameds family and government official, Mae Thomas, in response to an alleged US$50 million tax evasion scheme involving gold exports.
Earlier this week a revelation by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) noted that it uncovered an intricate scheme involving one of Guyana’s wealthiest families, the Mohameds. The family was accused of evading more than US$50 million in taxes by under-declaring gold exports and falsifying import and export documents. The alleged scheme also includes bribery of customs and government officials to facilitate these illicit activities.
OFAC has since placed sanctions on Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed, along with their business, Mohamed’s Enterprise, for their involvement in this corruption network. Thomas has also been sanctioned for her alleged complicity, which includes manipulating procurement processes and offering benefits in exchange for cash payments and high-value gifts when she was permanent secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Jagdeo, during his press conference held today, emphasized the government’s dedication to ensuring that anyone found guilty of breaking the law will be held accountable. “Let me make it very clear,” he stated, “since the opposition media has been very schizophrenic. One group of them are saying that we are protecting the Mohameds and another group has indicated that we are witch hunting the Mohameds. We are neither protecting the Mohameds nor are we witch-hunting the Mohameds.”
The Vice President highlighted the swift action taken by the government in response to the US sanctions and stated that Mae Thomas, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, was immediately asked to proceed on leave following the allegations. “We indicated to the US government that we will be seeking information to aid local investigation and possibly prosecution or the collection of the evaded taxes,” Jagdeo added.
Earlier this week the OFAC said, “Between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10,000 kilograms of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana.” The agency’s findings suggest that the Mohameds bribed customs officials to falsify documentation and facilitate illegal gold shipments.
Jagdeo assured the public that the government will not be silent on this critical issue. He acknowledged that some media reports have portrayed the government as being inactive or protecting certain individuals, but he stressed that the government must operate within a legal framework and not react impulsively like social media commentators. “The government can’t work like a social media commentator. It has to be deliberate, serious, and it has to work in a framework,” he noted.
The Vice President also pointed out the strong partnership between Guyana and the United States, particularly in sectors like defense, law enforcement, and drug control. “Since this government has taken office, we’ve strengthened our partnership in the defense sector, in the law enforcement sector, in the narcotics fighting sector,” he said, adding that a senior US official is visiting Guyana to discuss further strengthening these ties.
Jagdeo also reaffirmed the government’s stance on ensuring that all citizens, including the Mohameds, are subject to due process. “We intend to fully investigate this matter. We intend to prosecute those who break the law. We will work in full partnership with the US government. We value that partnership,” he asserted.
