Law Enforcement
First Criminal Conviction of International Prepaid Mobile Phone Trafficker
On May 16, 2008, Muhammad Mubashir, 27, of Sugar Land, Tex., pleaded guilty before Judge Melinda Harmon of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to charges of criminally disobeying a federal court order prohibiting him from continuing to purchase, tamper with or export prepaid mobile phones. This case marks the first-ever criminal conviction related to prepaid mobile phone trafficking.
For more information about the Mubashir case, click here.
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U.S. Marshals Arrest Suspected Mobile Phone Trafficker in Dallas
On September 12, 2008, Federal Marshals arrested a suspect allegedly involved in the trafficking of prepaid mobile phones. The suspect, Vicki S. Brooks, also known as Vicki Alkhatib, of Euliss, Texas, surrendered to authorities in Dallas and was immediately taken into custody.
A warrant for Brooks’ arrest was issued by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay in Dallas after she failed to appear for Court hearings in a lawsuit brought by TracFone Wireless, Inc. for her involvement in the bulk purchasing of prepaid mobile phones. The lawsuit filed last December, alleges that Brooks and her husband, Mohamed A. Mohamed, engaged in an unlawful scheme to bulk purchase, unlock and export prepaid mobile phones sold by TracFone. Last month, after Brooks failed to respond to the lawsuit, the court entered a final judgment and permanent injunction against her, ordering her to stop the illegal trafficking and awarding TracFone more than $400,000 in damages. The case against Mohamed remains pending.
To view the judgement entered against Vicki Brooks, click here.
