NEWARK, N.J. – Today, Hatem Ghouneim, a 35-year-old Egyptian citizen, admitted his involvement in defrauding a rideshare company of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Ghouneim’s guilty plea to three counts of wire fraud was entered before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court, following his extradition from Spain.
The fraud, which occurred from January to December 2019, involved Ghouneim creating fraudulent accounts using stolen identities to collect referral fees from a technology company that operates a rideshare service. This scheme led to substantial financial losses for the company in the form of fraudulent referral payments.
Each count of wire fraud Ghouneim faces carries a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. His sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2024.
The investigation, led by the FBI under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, culminated in Ghouneim’s guilty plea. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger expressed gratitude towards the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Attaché’s Office in Spain, and the Spanish government for their crucial roles in arresting and extraditing Ghouneim to face charges in the United States.