Baltimore Man Indicted on Charges of Bribing CBP Officers to Release Kratom-Related Shipment
BALTIMORE, Maryland - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland announced on November 6 that a Baltimore man is facing a federal indictment in connection with public-corruption crimes. Zen Aljufri, 61, is charged with two counts of bribing a federal official, U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes announced.
According to the indictment, Aljufri corruptly offered to pay a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer to release goods from a hold at a port of entry, with the intent to influence the official to aid in defrauding the United States in violation of his official duty.
As detailed in court documents, Aljufri attempted to pay the bribe to ensure that a shipment of mithragyna speciosa, which is related to kratom, could enter the country. The shipment had been placed on hold because it was subject to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Red List hold under FDA Alert 54-15.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt, and Aljufri is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison for each count of bribing a federal official. Actual sentences are typically less than the maximum penalties and are determined by a federal district judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Maryland, Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., and Matthew S. Davies, Director of Field Operations for the CBP Baltimore Field Office. HSI, the DHS Office of Inspector General and CBP investigated the case. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason D. Medinger and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney are prosecuting the case.
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国司法部大楼（GSM 固定图库）。 / Photo: The U.S. Department of Justice building. (GSM asset library)
