In a saga that resembles a Hollywood crime drama more than a story about businessmen, the father-and-son duo of Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed now find themselves at the center of an explosive US federal indictment. Charged by a grand jury in the Southern District of Florida, the Mohameds face 11 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering—all stemming from a gold export scam that allegedly robbed Guyana of over $50 million in taxes and royalties.
According to US prosecutors, the scheme operated from 2017 until June 2024 and was as clever as it was illegal. The Mohameds allegedly reused Guyana Customs declarations and official government seals, creating the illusion that taxes had been paid on gold exports that, in fact, never happened. The duo reportedly shipped empty wooden boxes, adorned with authentic seals, from Dubai to Miami and then back to Guyana, before refilling them with gold for export. It was a scam designed to appear legitimate, but it was essentially state-level theft disguised as a business.
The indictment reveals that Nazar Mohamed personally arranged these shipments through emails from Miami, with each shipment containing over 165 kilograms of gold destined for Dubai. The US authorities didn’t stop there. They traced emails, transactions, and falsified shipping records—uncovering a trail of deception as brilliant as the gold they smuggled.
And when you think the story couldn’t get more brazen, Count 11 of the indictment adds a luxurious twist. It claims that Azruddin Mohamed, known for flaunting wealth on social media, bought a Lamborghini valued at $680,000 but falsely declared its worth as only $75,300. That small “error” allegedly cost the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) over $383 million in lost taxes. It’s not just a lie—it’s daylight robbery, complete with roaring engines and luxury leather seats.
But the deceit doesn’t end there. The GRA has since uncovered that the Mohameds and their family members undervalued several other luxury vehicles, collectively avoiding around $1.2 billion in taxes. Even after being sanctioned by the US government in 2023, alongside Permanent Secretary Mae Thomas, the Mohameds didn’t slow down. Instead, they doubled down on their audacity.
Nazar Mohamed even started his own political party, which surprisingly won 16 seats in Guyana’s September 1 elections, making him a key opposition figure. Yes, you read that right—a man indicted for multimillion-dollar fraud and tax evasion is now a self-proclaimed political reformer. Irony clearly isn’t lost on the Mohameds.
In April 2025, the Full Court of Demerara rejected the GRA’s request to lift an injunction that allowed the family to keep their luxury vehicles—meaning the alleged proceeds of fraud still sit comfortably in their garage. However, as of now, Justice Gino Persaud is scheduled to deliver a decision on October 31, which could alter the outcome of this legal proceeding.
The US indictment isn’t just a legal document—it’s a display of greed and arrogance. It shows how two men, blinded by power and wealth, believed they could outwit both the Guyanese and American governments. But as history teaches us, gold may shine, but it can also burn.
The Mohameds’ story is no longer a tale of victory—it’s a warning about unchecked greed, corruption, and delusion. From tax evasion to political ambitions, they built an empire on deception. And now, with the US Justice Department closing in, that empire could soon tumble under the weight of its lies.
No matter how fast a Lamborghini goes, it can’t outrun justice.