The case against a former top official at the Islamic Center of Washington D.C. ended in a mistrial yesterday after jurors could not reach a verdict following roughly three days of deliberations.
Farzad Darui, 48, had been charged with stealing more than $435,000 from the Saudi-financed mosque during his time as business manager there.
Following a two-week trial, the jury yesterday said it was deadlocked and U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth declared a mistrial.
A conference is set for June 10 before Judge Lamberth to discuss future proceedings in the case, including the possibility of another trial.
Both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and defense attorneys for Mr. Darui declined to comment because the case has not been decided.
The center on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest was dedicated in 1957 and is one of the oldest mosques in the nation. The Washington Times first reported the criminal investigation in 2006.
Court filings show that Saudi Arabia bankrolled and exercised financial control over the mosque, and attorneys say the Saudis sent $500,000 each year to the center.
Prosecutors said Mr. Darui funneled money — over 5½ years beginning in 2000 — from the mosque’s bank accounts by sending checks to two Virginia-based companies that he controlled.
But defense attorneys contended that Mr. Darui took the money with the permission of the center’s director, Abdullah M. Khouj, who had access to Saudi funds and who they say accrued a debt to Mr. Darui for housing two women in various rental properties.
Papers filed by the defense last year say the debt was for “the housing and feeding” of the director’s “additional ’wives’ or mistresses.”
Mr. Darui faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. Prosecutors also sought to have him forfeit property that may have been derived from the suspected scheme.
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