![Photograph of Nuraldin Shareef Karim Taken in 2001](karim_ns.jpg) |
Photograph taken in 2001 |
Aliases: |
DILLON SHERIF, Sharef Nurradia, Shareef Karim, Karim Murradin
Shareef |
DESCRIPTION
Date of Birth Used: |
July 3, 1961 |
Hair: |
Brown |
Place of Birth: |
Arbil, Iraq |
Eyes: |
Brown |
Height: |
5'5" |
Sex: |
Male |
Weight: |
165 pounds |
Race: |
White (Middle Eastern) |
NCIC: |
W733281655 |
Nationality: |
Iraqi |
Occupation: |
Telemarketer |
Scars and Marks: |
Karim has a burn scar on his left elbow. |
Remarks: |
Karim may have previously traveled to
Iraq, and recently to Iran. He is also believed to have traveled in
Europe, including Amsterdam, and also to Thailand and Taiwan. He has
ties to Canada, Spain, Costa Rica, Iraq, and Syria. |
CAUTION
Nuraldin Shareef Karim is wanted in Los Angeles, California,
for his alleged involvement in a Canadian-based telemarketing
operation which defrauded Americans out of millions of dollars
through phony lottery schemes. From 1996 to October of 2001,
Karim and other individuals allegedly conducted a business through
a series of fraudulent telemarketing companies based in the Vancouver,
British Columbia area. The companies were designed to sell international
lottery packages to residents of the United States, targeting
the elderly. Karim and the telemarketers that he employed allegedly
solicited United States citizens' participation in the lotteries
which they claimed were run from foreign countries. It is alleged
that the telemarketers contacted the victims and fraudulently
informed them that they had won money in a foreign lottery, but
to receive these winnings they had to pay a fee. The victims
were contacted on numerous occasions after they sent in the initial
fee and told that they had won a larger monetary prize which
required additional fees.
Thousands of victims throughout the United States allegedly
sent approximately 7 million dollars to the bogus lottery companies
which they were told would be used for various expenses, including
taxes and customs fees. However, the money from the victims was
allegedly used for the personal benefit of the companies' principal
employees and telemarketers. Karim is believed to have used some
offshore bank accounts to facilitate the transfer of funds. Victims
never received the winnings that were promised to them.
In September of 2001, a federal arrest warrant was issued by the United
States District Court, Central District of California, after Karim was
charged with fraud by wire; mail fraud; and mailing materials related
to lotteries. Karim was arrested in Vancouver in October of 2001, pursuant
to a provisional warrant, and released on $200,000 bail. In December of
2001, Karim fled from Canada and authorities issued a Canadian-wide warrant
for his arrest for violating the conditions of his bail.
REWARD
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information
leading to the arrest of Nuraldin Shareef Karim.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PERSON, PLEASE
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FBI OFFICE
OR THE NEAREST AMERICAN EMBASSY
OR CONSULATE. |