Arif Naqvi, the chief executive of Dubai-private equity Abraaj group, has been charged of money laundering and fraud
LONDON: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Jan 28th, 2021) A judicial magistrate on Thursday ordered to extradite Arif Naqvi, owner of Abraaj group, to the US over charges of money laundering.
Westminster Judicial Magistrate announced the verdict on plea moved by the US for his custody.
Arif Naqvi is a Pakistani businessman and owner of Abraj group who facing around 16 different cases of money laundering and fraud.
According to the legal experts, Arif Naqvi could undergo 300 years long jail term over cases of fraud and money laundering.
Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot passed the order regarding extradition Arif Naqvi to the US.
“The safety and rights will not be at risk in the US jails as contended by Naqvi’s lawyer during the extradition hearings,” the judge observed.
During the proceedings, Arif Naqvi did not show emotions. He also did not talk to media when he arrived there.
The development takes place weeks after a similar plea for Wikileaks found Julian Assange but that was blocked by Judge Vanessa Baraitser. The judge had observed the request was blocked as the health conditions of Julian Assange were not perfect and it was feared that he might commit suicide.
Naqvi was arrested in 2019 in London on a request from the US over allegations of money laundering, racketeering, and fraud.
