New Hampshire Man Indicted Over $25 Million Hawala Operation
A New Hampshire man has been indicted on a federal charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business after prosecutors alleged that he used a hawala network to move more than $25 million between the United States and Yemen.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire announced the indictment on September 3, 2026. Ramzi Al-Shawafi, 47, of Chichester, is scheduled to appear in federal court on September 16.
Prosecutors allege more than $25 million moved through hawala network
According to the indictment, Al-Shawafi operated the hawala for several years and worked with individuals in Yemen to coordinate transfers between the two countries. Customers in the United States allegedly provided him with funds through bank wires or in cash. He then deposited the money into accounts he owned or controlled and instructed hawaladars in Yemen to make payments to intended beneficiaries.
The indictment also alleges that Yemeni hawaladars would instruct Al-Shawafi to make payments to people or entities in the United States, providing banking information for the intended recipients.
Federal prosecutors allege that between April 2022 and February 2026, Al-Shawafi processed at least $25 million in hawala transactions and earned commissions from the activity.
Authorities say he used dozens of bank accounts across multiple financial institutions. The accounts were held in the names of businesses he directly or indirectly controlled, including Razl Trading, RA Broker and several convenience stores.
Unlicensed money transmitting charge
Al-Shawafi is charged with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. The offence carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence would ultimately be determined by the federal court.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture notice stating that, upon conviction, property involved in the alleged offence and property traceable to it would be subject to forfeiture under federal law.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are leading the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and Al-Shawafi is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case illustrates how informal value-transfer networks can intersect with conventional banking infrastructure: although hawala can operate outside the formal banking system, prosecutors allege that dozens of business bank accounts were used to fund and settle the transfers.
