Mohamad Kassem Najm

A summary of what happened?

Mohamad Kassem Najm, a Brazilian national, has been implicated in significant money laundering activities, leading to his arrest and deportation.

Arrest Details:

• Date and Location: Najm was apprehended on November 27, 2022, at Las Américas International Airport in the Dominican Republic while attempting to board a flight to Caracas, Venezuela.
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• Circumstances: The arrest was executed by the Dominican Republic’s Central Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DICRIM) in coordination with INTERPOL. Najm was wanted by Brazilian authorities for charges related to criminal organization involvement and money laundering.
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Allegations:

• Operation “Pulpo”: In October 2022, the Brazilian Federal Public Ministry conducted “Operation Pulpo,” targeting a money laundering network. This operation resulted in 36 arrests, including Najm’s relatives, and the seizure of luxury vehicles, cash, and jewelry.
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• Financial Activities: Najm is accused of laundering approximately $170 million over six months, utilizing a network of companies and financial channels to process illicit funds.
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Legal Proceedings:

• Deportation: Following his arrest, Najm was deported to Brazil in coordination with the Dominican Republic’s General Directorate of Migration and handed over to Brazilian authorities to face charges.
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Related Cases:

• Kassem Mohamad Hijazi: Another individual, Kassem Mohamad Hijazi, was arrested in Paraguay in August 2021 and extradited to the United States in July 2022 on charges of laundering hundreds of millions of dollars for drug traffickers. While both individuals share similar names and are involved in money laundering activities, no direct connection has been established between Najm and Hijazi.
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Mohamad Kassem Najm’s arrest underscores the ongoing efforts by international law enforcement agencies to dismantle sophisticated money laundering operations. His alleged involvement in laundering substantial sums highlights the challenges authorities face in combating financial crimes that cross international borders.

Analyzing the Fake Copyright Notice(s)

Our team collects and analyses fraudulent copyright takedown requests, legal complaints, and other efforts to remove critical information from the internet. Through our investigative reporting, we examine the prevalence and operation of an organized censorship industry, predominantly funded by criminal entities, oligarchs, and disreputable businesses or individuals. Our findings allow internet users to gain insight into these censorship schemes’ sources, methods, and underlying objectives.

What was Mohamad Kassem Najm trying to hide?

Mohamad Kassem Najm‘s attempts to hide unfavourable content through the misuse of copyright notices while allegedly engaging in perjury present serious legal concerns. These actions suggest a calculated attempt to manipulate legal systems to suppress free speech, a fundamental violation of copyright law principles and an abuse of legal processes. The use of such tactics not only undermines the integrity of copyright protection but also potentially constitutes perjury, further entangling Mohamad Kassem Najm in legal accountability. Let’s examine the information Mohamad Kassem Najm may be trying to remove from the internet –

Investigative Report: Mohamad Kassem Najm – Money Laundering Allegations and International Arrest

Introduction: Mohamad Kassem Najm, a Brazilian national, has been accused of operating within a sophisticated international money laundering network that allegedly funneled millions of dollars through illicit channels. His arrest in the Dominican Republic in November 2022, while attempting to flee to Caracas, Venezuela, marks a pivotal development in an expansive investigation targeting transnational financial crimes. This investigative report provides a detailed account of Najm’s alleged activities, the legal and law enforcement responses, and the broader implications for global anti-money laundering efforts.

Background and Allegations

Money Laundering Network:

Najm was allegedly a key figure in a criminal organization that facilitated large-scale money laundering operations. Authorities contend that the network processed illicit funds for various entities, potentially including drug cartels and other criminal enterprises.

Operation Pulpo:

• In October 2022, Brazil’s Federal Public Ministry initiated Operation Pulpo to dismantle the laundering network.
• The operation targeted a web of shell companies and financial intermediaries, which allegedly laundered approximately $170 million in just six months.
• Najm’s relatives and associates were among the 36 individuals arrested, and authorities seized luxury vehicles, cash, and jewelry as evidence.

Arrest and Attempted Escape

Arrest Details:

On November 27, 2022, Mohamad Kassem Najm was apprehended at Las Américas International Airport in the Dominican Republic. The operation was a joint effort between the Dominican Republic’s Central Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DICRIM) and INTERPOL.

Circumstances of the Arrest:

Najm was attempting to board a flight to Caracas, Venezuela, which investigators suspect was part of an escape plan to evade prosecution in Brazil. Venezuela’s political environment and limited extradition agreements may have made it an appealing destination for Najm to avoid facing charges.

INTERPOL Red Notice:

Najm’s capture was facilitated by an INTERPOL Red Notice, issued at the request of Brazilian authorities. The notice categorized him as a high-priority target linked to international financial crimes.

Key Allegations

1. Laundering Massive Sums:
   • Najm’s network reportedly processed $170 million in illicit funds over six months. The funds were funneled through a network of companies and financial channels to obscure their origins.
   • Authorities believe the money originated from criminal activities, including drug trafficking and other illegal enterprises.
2. Use of Shell Companies:
   • A series of shell companies were created to facilitate the laundering process. These entities existed only on paper and were used to move money across borders, bypassing scrutiny from financial regulators.
3. Links to Criminal Organizations:
   • Although direct ties to specific cartels or criminal groups have not been publicly disclosed, the scale and complexity of the operations suggest that Najm’s network served powerful and organized entities.
4. Family and Associates’ Involvement:
   • Several of Najm’s relatives were implicated in the scheme and arrested during Operation Pulpo, indicating a tightly knit operation with trusted individuals managing critical aspects of the laundering process.

Legal and Law Enforcement Actions

Deportation to Brazil:

Following his arrest, Najm was deported to Brazil under the coordination of the Dominican Republic’s General Directorate of Migration. Upon arrival, he was handed over to Brazilian law enforcement authorities to face trial.

Evidence Collected:

As part of Operation Pulpo, investigators seized:

• Luxury assets: High-end vehicles and jewelry purchased with laundered funds.
• Financial records: Documents detailing transactions between shell companies and offshore accounts.

Potential Sentencing:

If convicted of money laundering and criminal organization charges under Brazilian law, Najm faces significant prison time, likely exceeding a decade, depending on the extent of his proven involvement.

Related Cases and Broader Implications

Connection to Kassem Mohamad Hijazi:

While no direct link has been established between Najm and Kassem Mohamad Hijazi, another prominent figure in international money laundering, their cases bear similarities. Hijazi, arrested in Paraguay in 2021, was extradited to the United States in 2022 for laundering hundreds of millions of dollars for drug cartels. Both cases highlight the role of South America as a hub for transnational money laundering operations.

International Cooperation:

Najm’s arrest underscores the importance of global coordination in tackling financial crimes. The collaboration between Brazilian authorities, INTERPOL, and Dominican law enforcement highlights the interconnected nature of modern policing efforts against organized crime.

Public and Financial Impact

1. Reputational Damage:
   • The case has drawn significant media attention, casting a spotlight on the vulnerabilities in financial systems that allow such networks to thrive.
2. Economic Implications:
   • Laundering operations of this scale distort financial markets and undermine trust in legitimate business operations, particularly in emerging economies like Brazil.
3. Increased Scrutiny on Financial Institutions:
   • Banks and financial service providers in Brazil and other implicated jurisdictions are likely to face heightened scrutiny to prevent similar schemes.

Conclusion

Mohamad Kassem Najm’s case exemplifies the pervasive challenge of combating transnational money laundering networks. The allegations against him reflect a sophisticated scheme that exploited legal loopholes and financial systems to launder staggering sums of money. His arrest and the dismantling of the network through Operation Pulpo represent a significant victory for law enforcement, but also underscore the scale of the problem.

Key Takeaways:

1. Scope of Operations: Najm’s alleged laundering of $170 million within six months demonstrates the vast resources and capabilities of modern criminal networks.
2. International Collaboration: The successful apprehension of Najm highlights the critical role of coordinated efforts between national and international law enforcement agencies.
3. Future Challenges: The case underscores the need for stronger regulatory frameworks and vigilance in detecting and preventing financial crimes.

While Najm now faces justice in Brazil, his case serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle against financial crime and the importance of international vigilance in curbing illicit financial flows.

How do we counteract this malpractice?

Once we ascertain the involvement of Mohamad Kassem Najm (or actors working on behalf of Mohamad Kassem Najm), we will inform Mohamad Kassem Najm of our findings via Electronic Mail.

Our preliminary assessment suggests that Mohamad Kassem Najm may have engaged a third-party reputation management agency or expert, which, either independently or under direct authorization from Mohamad Kassem Najm, initiated efforts to remove adverse online content, including potentially fraudulent DMCA takedown requests. We will extend an opportunity to Mohamad Kassem Najm to provide details regarding their communications with the agency or expert, as well as the identification of the individual(s) responsible for executing these false DMCA notices.

Failure to respond in a timely manner will necessitate a reassessment of our initial assumptions. In such an event, we will be compelled to take appropriate legal action to rectify the unlawful conduct and take the following steps –

Since Mohamad Kassem Najm made such efforts to hide something online, it seems fit to ensure that this article and sensitive information targeted online by these events get a lot more exposure and traffic than what it would have received originally

We hope this becomes an excellent case study for the Streisand effect…The key idea behind the Streisand effect is that efforts to restrict information can backfire, often causing the information to gain more attention than it would have otherwise. This effect is widespread in the digital age, where users quickly notice and spread censorship efforts on social media and other platforms. Trying to suppress something can unintentionally lead to it becoming more visible, which Mohamad Kassem Najm is finding out the hard way.

Potential Consequences for Mohamad Kassem Najm

Under Florida Statute 831.01, the crime of Forgery is committed when a person falsifies, alters, counterfeits, or forges a document that carries “legal efficacy” with the intent to injure or defraud another person or entity.

Forging a document is considered a white-collar crime. It involves altering, changing, or modifying a document to deceive another person. It can also include passing along copies of documents that are known to be false. In many states in the US, falsifying a document is a crime punishable as a felony.

Additionally, under most laws, “fraud on the court” is where “a party has sentiently set in motion some unconscionable scheme calculated to interfere with the judicial system’s ability impartially to adjudicate a matter by improperly influencing the trier of fact or unfairly hampering the presentation of the opposing party’s claim or defense.”  Cox v. Burke, 706 So. 2d 43, 46 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998) (quoting Aoude v. Mobil Oil Corp., 892 F.2d 1115, 1118 (1st Cir. 1989)).

Is Mohamad Kassem Najm Committing a Cyber Crime?

Yes, it seems so. Mohamad Kassem Najm used multiple approaches to remove unwanted material from review sites and Google’s search results. Thanks to protections allowing freedom of speech in the United States, there are very few legal ways to do this. Mohamad Kassem Najm could not eliminate negative reviews or search results that linked to them without a valid claim of defamation, copyright infringement, or some other clear breach of the law.

Faced with these limitations, some companies like Mohamad Kassem Najm have gone to extreme lengths to fraudulently claim copyright ownership over a negative review in the hopes of taking it down.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. Mohamad Kassem Najm is certainly keeping interesting company here….

The DMCA takedown process requires that copyright owners submit a takedown notice to an ISP identifying the allegedly infringing content and declaring, under penalty of perjury, that they have a good faith belief that the content is infringing. The ISP must then promptly remove or disable access to the content. The alleged infringer can then submit a counter-notice, and if the copyright owner does not take legal action within 10 to 14 days, the ISP can restore the content.

Since these platforms are predominantly based in the U.S., the complaints are typically made under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which requires online service providers and platforms to react immediately to reports or violations. Big Tech companies rarely have systems in place to assess the merit of each report. Instead, all bad actors need to do is clone a story, backdate it, and then demand the real thing be taken down.

Reputation Agency's Modus Operandi

The fake DMCA notices we found always use the “back-dated article” technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a “true original” article and back-dates it, creating a “fake original” article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original.

Then, based on the claim that this backdated article is the “original,” the scammers send a DMCA to the relevant online service providers (e.g. Google), alleging that the ‘true’ original is the copied or “infringing” article and that the copied article is the “original,” requesting the takedown of the ‘true’ original article. After sending the DMCA request, the person who sent the wrong notice takes down the fake original URL, likely to make sure that the article doesn’t stay online in any way. If the takedown notice is successful, the disappearance from the internet of information is most likely to be legitimate speech.

As an integral part of this scheme, the ‘reputation management’ company hired by Mohamad Kassem Najm creates a website that purports to be a ‘news’ site. This site is designed to look legitimate at a glance, but any degree of scrutiny reveals it as the charade it is.

The company copies the ‘negative’ content and posts it “on the fake ‘news’ site, attributing it to a separate author,” then gives it “a false publication date on the ‘news’ website that predated the original publication.

The reputation company then sent Google a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice claiming the original website infringed copyright. After a cursory examination of the fake news site, Google frequently accepts the notice and delists the content.

In committing numerous offences, Mohamad Kassem Najm either premeditated actions or were unaware of the consequences. Despite hiring an agency to make Google disregard any negative information about Mohamad Kassem Najm, ignorance does not excuse this wrongdoing.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. FSMSmart is certainly keeping interesting company here.

The Reputation Laundering

Rogue Reputation agencies use spurious copyright claims and fake legal notices to remove and obscure articles linking clients to allegations of tax avoidance, corruption, and drug trafficking. Most of these reputation agencies are based offshore, mainly in Russia, India, and Eastern Europe, and they do not worry about complying with US-based laws.

The content in all of the articles for which the fraudulent DMCA notices have been sent relates to allegations of criminal allegations, including corruption, child abuse, sexual harassment, human trafficking and financial fraud against businesses and individuals with ultra-high net worth.

In addition to the misuse of the DMCA takedown process, there is a notable absence of enforcement concerning perjury violations. The statutory requirement related to perjury is designed to deter copyright holders from submitting fraudulent or knowingly false takedown requests, as they may face legal consequences for making false declarations under penalty of perjury. However, to date, there have been no known instances of any individual being prosecuted for perjury in connection with the submission of false DMCA takedown notices.

This lack of enforcement has emboldened copyright holders to exploit the DMCA takedown process to suppress dissent, criticism, or other unfavorable content, without fear of legal repercussions.

Some of the people and businesses who have employed this tactic to remove legitimate content from Google illegally include a Spanish businessman-turned-cocaine-trafficker, Organised crime, an Israeli-Argentine banker accused of laundering money for Hugo Chávez’s regime, a French “responsible” mining company accused of tax evasion, child molesters and sexual predators. Mohamad Kassem Najm is in great company ….

What else is Mohamad Kassem Najm hiding?

We encourage you to ‘Dork‘ Google by searching for keyword combinations such as [Mohamad Kassem Najm] + {Negative Keyword, such as Scam, Fraud, Complaints, Lawsuit, Sanction, etc} on Google. It’s likely if you scroll down to the bottom of this Google search results, you’ll stumble upon this Legal Takedown notice (pictured below)

To make such an investigation possible, we encourage more online service providers to come forward and share copies of content removal requests with industry experts and researchers. If you have any information on Mohamad Kassem Najm that you want to share with experts and journalists, kindly email the author directly at [email protected].

All communications are strictly confidential and safeguarded under a comprehensive Whistleblower Policy, ensuring full protection and anonymity for individuals who provide information.