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Awwad Family Indicted: Toledo Tech Heist & Middle East Money Trail
TOLEDO, OH – A sprawling criminal enterprise centered in Toledo has been dismantled with the federal indictment of twenty-six individuals accused of a complex conspiracy involving stolen electronics, multi-million dollar check fraud, the sale of counterfeit goods, and intimidation tactics. The ring allegedly fenced stolen computers, smartphones and other electronics at Toledo stores, then resold them in Michigan and shipped them as far as the Middle East, according to authorities.
The indictment, unsealed today, details how the operation didn’t stop at theft. Members are accused of using firearms, threats, and outright violence to control the stolen goods market. Simultaneously, they allegedly laundered over $11 million through illicitly cashed checks at their businesses. The scheme also involved peddling counterfeit clothing, ripping off legitimate brands like Nike, Timberland, and Dolce Gabbana. The operation was a multi-faceted, brazen attempt to profit from crime at every turn.
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Steven M. Dettelbach, alongside FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony, Toledo Police Chief George Kral, Lucas County Sheriff John Tharp, and IRS Criminal Investigation’s Troy Stemen, announced the charges. The indictment names Mamoun Awwad, 43, of Maumee; Adnan Awad, 33, of Toledo; Ihab Awad, 31, of Toledo; Ayman Awwad, 42, of Maumee; Anwar Awad, 39, of Toledo; Kamal Awwad, 40, of Toledo; Fady Awwad, 34, of Toledo; Aref Kahala, 23, of Maumee; Saif Alkhatib, 23, of Perrysburg; Haney Sarsour, 36, of Dearborn, Mich.; Ameen Sarsour, 31, of Dearborn, Mich.; Michael Safadi, 37, of Westland, Mich.; Freddy Delatorre, 32, of Toledo; Jeffrey Houttekier, 24, of Toledo; Ahmed Abdulateeef, 47, of Toledo; Ehab Adbdelsalam, 22, of Toledo; Timothy Fields, 32, of Toledo; Ali Abdallah, 34, of Dearborn, Mich.; Mustafa Deebajah, 27, of Dearborn, Mich.; Essa Allawneh, age unknown, of Amman, Jordan; Adli Alawneh, age unknown, of Amman, Jordan; Omar Dari, 54, of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Mutaz Almumani, 29, hometown unknown; Fadi Qasis, 30, hometown unknown; Mayssam Kaddoura, 36, of Toledo and Jamal Abdel Aziz, 44, of Toledo.
At the heart of the conspiracy, authorities allege, is the Awwad family. Mamoun Awwad, Adnan Awad, Ihab Awad, Ayman Awwad, Anwar Awad, Kamal Awwad, and Fady Awwad, along with Aref Kahala, own and operate a network of businesses in Toledo – clothing stores, electronics shops, and convenience stores – which served as fronts for their criminal activities. These businesses were allegedly used to facilitate the sale of counterfeit goods, traffic stolen electronics, and illegally cash checks. The Awwads reportedly purchased stolen iPhones, iPads, and Samsung phones from vulnerable individuals, then manipulated the devices to bypass security measures and resell them.
The indictment reveals a chilling motive: the accumulation of funds to establish residences in Rammoun, Palestine, for the Awwad family and their relatives. Mamoun Awwad allegedly used connections with Royal Jordanian Airlines crew members in Detroit to smuggle both electronics and cash out of the country. Between 2011 and 2014, the family unlawfully cashed over $11 million in checks at stores like Reynolds Quick Stop, using the proceeds to fuel their operation and fund their overseas ambitions. The counterfeit clothing scheme involved items bearing the logos of numerous high-end brands, further demonstrating the scope of their greed.
But the Awwads weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. The indictment details instances of brutal intimidation. In one case, Mamoun Awwad allegedly threatened a victim with a 9mm pistol while an accomplice held a knife to their throat. Another incident involved an assault by Mamoun Awwad. These acts of violence were reportedly used to maintain control of the stolen goods market in Toledo, silencing rivals and ensuring the Awwad family’s continued dominance. The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are possible as authorities continue to unravel the full extent of this criminal network.
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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