Editor’s Note: The FBI’s July 2014 press release about the Khalil brothers guilty pleas is available here.
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE, RI—Wissam Khalil, 41, of Central Falls, R.I., and his brother, Bassam Nazir Khalil 49, of Pawtucket, R.I., were sentenced in U.S. District Court in Providence today for their roles as leaders of a complex interstate conspiracy that transported more than 6 million contraband cigarettes from Virginia to Rhode Island. The sale of the contraband cigarettes in Rhode Island resulted in the loss to the State of nearly $1.1 million dollars in tax stamp revenue.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith sentenced Wissam Khalil to 42 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ supervised release; Bassam Nazir was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ supervised release.
The sentences are announced by Peter F. Neronha, United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island; Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston field office of the FBI; William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston field office of IRS Criminal Investigation; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations for New England; Scott E. Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston field office of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations; and William G. Squires, Special Agent in Charge of the northeast region of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
