United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II today sentenced Ppassim Elder, also known as ‘Bsam,’ ‘Big Sam,’ and ‘Sam,’ to 202 years in prison for his role in the murder of a Queens business owner.
Elder was one of two defendants to be handed down sentences in federal court in Brooklyn. Wilbert Bryant, also known as ‘Will’ and ‘La,’ received 40 years for his participation in the crime.
The victims were Hani Kasem, owner of Garden Valley Distributors, and his son. Elder, who was acting as a loan shark, demanded full repayment of money lent to the son to support the business. When confronted with the inability to pay, Elder resorted to intimidation tactics, including sending co-conspirators to throw a rock through the victim’s window and to confront Kasem’s family at home.
On October 23, 2017, Bryant and two co-conspirators entered Garden Valley Distributors. After brandishing a firearm, they pistol-whipped the son and shot Kasem in the face, mortally wounding him.
In addition to murder charges, Elder was convicted of bank fraud conspiracy for lying to banks about the true owner of certain bank accounts, resulting in defrauding victims across the country. He also stole his attorney’s identity and lied to federal officials after his arrest.
United States Attorney Breon Peace thanked law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution of Elder and Bryant. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making communities safer.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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