A brazen scheme to steal millions of dollars worth of cell phones and electronic devices has finally been brought to justice. The Mustafa Organization, a Twin Cities-based criminal organization, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and related charges in connection with the theft of $20 million worth of cellular telephones and other electronic devices.
The investigation, led by the St. Paul Police Department, United States Secret Service, and other agencies, uncovered a complex web of deceit and theft that spanned nearly a decade. Members of the Mustafa family and their associates used stolen identity information and other criminal means to obtain at least $20 million worth of cellular telephones and other mobile devices for the purpose of trafficking them throughout the United States and overseas.
The six Mustafa brothers owned and operated 13 mobile device stores in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, which were used to buy illegally obtained mobile devices. Members of the Mustafa Organization paid runners to steal mobile devices or obtain them fraudulently using stolen identification documents. They re-sold the stolen phones and tablets for substantial profits that were then distributed among themselves and used to pay for rent, utilities, payroll, and other expenses to keep their stores in business and promote the unlawful activity.
According to court documents, members of the Mustafa Organization also falsified loan applications and provided false documentation to get loans for vehicles that they used to transport stolen devices and the proceeds of their criminal activity. They also made fraudulent credit card transactions to steal from credit card processing companies and used the proceeds to buy more cell phones and to pay operating expenses for the wireless stores and for personal use.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Schleicher, John Marti, and Karen Schommer are handling the prosecution of this case. The investigation involved numerous law enforcement agencies, including the St. Paul Police Department, United States Secret Service, University of Minnesota Police Department, Minnesota Department of Public Safety and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Financial Crimes Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Edina Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, Plymouth Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Marshal’s Service.
The Mustafa brothers’ guilty pleas are a major blow to organized crime in the Twin Cities. The brothers, who were convicted of conspiracy to engage in interstate transportation of stolen goods, include JAMAL TALAL MUSTAFA, a/k/a “Jimmy,” 42, of Apple Valley, Minn.; NASER MOHAMAD MUSTAFA, a/k/a “Nasty Nas,” 24, of Rosemount, Minn.; EDWAN T MUSTAFA, a/k/a “Eddy,” 40, of Apple Valley, Minn.; NIZER M MUSTAFA, a/k/a “Shaggy,” a/k/a “Mike,” 36, of Savage, Minn.; BILAL MUHAMMED MUSTAFA, a/k/a “Billy,” 30, of no address; and MAHMOOD MUSTAFA, a/k/a “Mo,” 38, of Apple Valley, Minn.
The sentencing date for the remaining two defendants, MILES and AL HUSSAINAWEE, has not been set. The Mustafa Organization’s guilty pleas are a major victory for law enforcement and a testament to their dedication to bringing justice to the Twin Cities.
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Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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