Egyptian Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Rideshare Fraud After Extradition from Spain

July 11, 2024

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.

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.