Alleged Hezbollah financier extradited to US on sanctions evasion charges

A dual Lebanese-Belgian citizen accused by the US of financing Lebanon's Hezbollah has been extradited from Romania and will face sanctions evasion and money laundering charges on Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court, prosecutors said.

Mohammad Bazzi, who Washington says has provided millions of dollars to Hezbollah, was arrested in February on charges of covertly selling real estate he owned in Michigan and transferring the funds abroad, violating US sanctions laws.

Bazzi was extradited on Tuesday, and is expected to be arraigned before US magistrate judge Peggy Kuo at 11am (1500 GMT), according to a spokesman for the US Attorney's office in Brooklyn.

The US Treasury Department placed Bazzi, 58, on its sanctions list in 2018 over his alleged ties to Hezbollah, which Washington considers a terrorist organisation.

Lawyers for Bazzi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Prosecutors in Brooklyn last week charged another alleged Hezbollah financier, Nazem Ahmad, with evading US sanctions by exporting hundreds of millions of dollars of diamonds and art.