Michigan’s Attorney General, Dana Nessel, recently revealed the indictment of two men from the Detroit area. The charges allege that the duo defrauded Amazon of over $50,000.
According to a release, Ali F. Habash, aged 28 and hailing from Canton, has been charged with six counts of false pretenses amounting to $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, in addition to one count each of uttering and publishing, forgery, and continuing a criminal enterprise, which is a 20-year felony.
Ahmed Al-Bahia, aged 22 and also residing in Canton, has been charged with a single count of false pretenses, specifically for an amount ranging from $1,000 to less than $20,000.
In February, Amazon reached out to Nessel’s office regarding 32 accounts that were suspected of engaging in retail fraud. These accounts were all linked to or controlled by Habash.
According to the release, Habash reportedly utilized these accounts from 2020 to 2023 to purchase high-value items, including Apple-branded laptops and gold coins.
According to officials, Habash is accused of not only requesting refunds for products but also retaining the items and reselling them at a profit.
Once the return label was requested, the individual would proceed to send back items that were of lesser value, or sometimes wouldn’t send anything back at all.
According to allegations, Habash and Al-Bahia worked together to commit fraud in 2021, resulting in Amazon losing thousands of dollars.
According to Nessel, “This case deals with a well-known online retailer and involves a significant amount of money. The manipulation of the refund process to obtain merchandise for free and then resell it for profit is a crime, just like physical theft and shoplifting. Amazon has helped identify the scheme and collaborate with us to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. The FORCE Team is dedicated to bringing justice to those who commit retail fraud, whether it’s in traditional brick-and-mortar stores or online marketplaces.”
Al-Bahia is set to appear in court again on August 2nd, while Habash’s probable cause conference is scheduled for August 9th.
The case was investigated by the FORCE Team, a group that collaborates with retail companies and law enforcement agencies to combat organized retail crime.
Since 2021, Sara Powers has been reporting on breaking news, politics, and entertainment for CBS Detroit. As a native of Detroit, she brings a unique perspective to her role as a digital producer for the organization.
