Ed Ahmad lawyer now seeking November sentencing date
The lawyer for New York-based Guyanese businessman, Ed Ahmad is now seeking a November, 2016 date for his sentencing for mortgage fraud conspiracy. In a letter dated yesterday to New York Judge, Dora Irizarry Steven Kartagener sought the deferral from September 14, 2016 because of the postponement of the sentencing of former New York State Senator John Sampson to September 22, 2016. Ahmad was a key witness in the Sampson trial and is hoping to benefit from a sentence reduction once the extent of his co-operation is made known.
Kartagener had in May this year sought the deferral of sentencing to September 14 to benefit from Sampson’s sentencing. In that earlier letter, he had said “By granting this adjournment, the Court would be permitting (Ahmad) to get the benefit (of) his literally hundreds of hours served as a cooperator, which will undoubtedly be chronicled at length in the government’s anticipated 5K1 letter…”
The 5K1 letter is usually filed by the US Government when a defendant provides substantial assistance in the solving of other cases and the Government then seeks a reduction in the sentence.
The September postponement was the sixth granted to Ahmad. The first postponement from January 15, 2016 to February 12, 2016 was a result of an oversight by a probation officer.
The other adjournments from February 12 to March 4th to March 21st and April 25th were as a result of various applications by counsel for Ahmad.
Ahmad’s case has attracted great interest in Guyana because of his close ties to former president Bharrat Jagdeo. Ahmad had shipped a container of goods to Jagdeo at State House and many questions were asked about this.