Marvelous Pizza via Google Maps.
Marvelous Pizza, a restaurant in an H Street NE strip mall that opened June 2011, was raided by FBI agents today after its owner was accused of committing numerous types of fraud.
According to an FBI affidavit, Atef Mekki Haj Hassen, a Woodbridge, Va. resident who owns the pizza shop, his brother-in-law and business partner Atef Ben Amor Amri, and five other associates “fraudulently obtained $3,000,000 through various schemes.”
The affidavit states that Hassen and Amri run two pizza shops called New York Pizza Factory in Annandale and Fairfax. Hassen is accused of submitting several fraudulent mortgage loan applications on which he misstated his salary at New York Pizza Company. He allegedly used fraudulent and doctored documents, including Bank of America statements, to deceive mortgage lenders. The affidavit also states Hassen falsely stated his annual earnings on credit card applications.
He is also accused of perjuring himself on forms to become a naturalized citizen and lying about his marriage to an American citizen. From the affidavit:
[Special Agent Sandra Bell Pollack] interviewed Hassen’s ex-wife in February 2011. She initially had difficulty recalling who Hassen was and simple details about him and their marriage. She told me that, in exchange for marrying Hassen and assisting him with obtaining his green car, Hassen offered her $5,000. She said that he did not not pay her the money, but instead, he paid for her apartment and other expenses.
In addition to Hassen and Amri, five other people were named in the affidavit. The affidavit, dated July 25, calls for arrest warrants to be issued. However, Hassen’s arrest warrant and complaint are sealed.
Two men inside the shuttered Marvelous Pizza this afternoon declined to come to the door. A man who answered the phone at the Fairfax location of the New York Pizza Factory said he would pass this reporter’s phone number on to one of the owners. The call was returned by a man who said he purchased the location from Amri and Hassen. The phone at the Annandale location was not answered after several attempts.
FBI agents could be seen removing boxes of documents from Marvelous Pizza this afternoon. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department were on the scene to assist.
UPDATE: Feds are at Marvelous Pizza. Guy on scene: “They’ll be closed. Take your pick of charges.” #HStNE pic.twitter.com/H6XCXQ87TS
— Titan of Trinidad (@ToTville) July 31, 2013
