TEXAS NIGHTCLUB OWNER LINKED TO HEZBOLLAH SENTENCED TO 13 YEARS FOR DRUG MONEY LAUNDERING

The Yassine brothers

A US District Judge in Austin, Texas, sentenced Hussein Ali "Mike" Yassine to 155 months in Federal prison this week, for money laundering and money laundering conspiracy*. His brother, Hadi Yassine, received 60 months on  money laundering charges. After serving their sentences, they are scheduled to be deported, as they are not US citizens.

The brothers, and other defendants, operated nine bars in downtown Austin, and were engaged in laundering drug profits through those businesses; some of the defendants have narcotics charges filed against them.

Two interesting points from the case:

(1) The defendants' uncle, who according to US law enforcement, lives in Lebanon and is linked to Hezbollah, a designated global terrorist organisation, received regular payments from them.

(2) the principal Confidential Informant (CI) in the case, who was a relative of the defendants, reportedly received $344,000 for his services in the case.

 US District Court at sentencing

The length of the sentence, thirteen years, meted out to the principal defendant,  reflects the seriousness of his offences. This is one judge who is not afraid to hand down a fit and proper sentence for a major money launderer.
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* United States vs. Hussein Ali Yassine, et al,  Case No.: 12-cr-00105-SS (WD TX).