Bucks County Tobacco Heist Lands Staten Island Businessman in the Slammer
A Staten Island businessman has been sentenced to a year behind bars for his role in a massive tobacco smuggling scheme that cheated both Pennsylvania and New York out of millions in taxes.
Ramzi Al Najar, 43, was handed his sentence by United States District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker on April 10, 2024, for smuggling smokeless tobacco products across state lines to avoid paying the associated taxes.
The defendant operated Capital Trade, Inc., a tobacco wholesaler based in Bristol, PA. During the charged conduct, Al Najar and his associates transported almost $40 million worth of tobacco from Pennsylvania to New York, while failing to pay millions of dollars in New York state excise taxes on that tobacco.
‘The defendant thought he found a loophole to fast money, by cheating both Pennsylvania and New York out of substantial taxes owed for the sale of tobacco products,’ said Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. ‘But now he is the one paying the price. Everyone has to follow the law, and our Office is here with our federal, state, and local level partners to enforce that standard.’
Al Najar was also ordered to pay over $7.8 million in restitution and serve three years of supervised release following his one-year prison sentence. His associates transported almost $40 million worth of tobacco from Pennsylvania to New York, while failing to pay millions of dollars in New York state excise taxes on that tobacco.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigation, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Criminal Division, with assistance from: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, the New York State Department of Tax and Finance, Criminal Investigations Division, and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Livermore and Frank A. Weber.
Ramzi Al Najar, also known as the defendant, was charged with smuggling smokeless tobacco products across state lines to avoid paying the associated taxes.
Defendant: Ramzi Al Najar, 43
Criminal Charges: Smuggling smokeless tobacco products across state lines to avoid paying the associated taxes
City, State: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sentence: One year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $7.8 million in restitution
Dollar Amounts: $40 million worth of tobacco, $7.8 million in restitution
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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