FY 22-1

Tobacco Executive Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Evade Federal Excise Taxes on Cigars

FY—22—1

On Wednesday, December 1, 2021, Akrum Alrahib, 43, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to 60 month’s imprisonment and ordered to pay more than $7 million in restitution for his participation in a fraudulent scheme to avoid the payment of millions of dollars in excise taxes on imported tobacco products.

Alrahib had previously pled guilty in September 2021 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. As part of his guilty plea, Alrahib, President of Trendsettah USA, Inc., admitted that he participated in a fraudulent scheme to avoid the payment of millions of dollars in excise taxes on imported tobacco products.

Alrahib’s partner in the fraudulent scheme, was charged in a separate case (16-cr-20838). He pled guilty, was sentenced to four years in prison, and ordered to pay over $9 million in restitution.

The full press release on Alrahib’s sentencing can be found here and the press release on his plea can be found here. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 19-cr-20165.

Page last reviewed: December 02, 2021
Page last updated: December 02, 2021
Maintained by: Office of Congressional and Public Affairs