Money-laundering case: FIA uncovers 30 more benami accounts

PESHAWAR: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has uncovered 30 more benami accounts opened under the name of domestic workers during its ongoing investigation into a mega money laundering scam. 

FIA officials revealed on Sunday that the 30 benami bank accounts were operated under the name of eight domestic workers hired by an influential businessman. 

The said workers earned only between Rs12,000 to Rs15,000, yet transactions amounting to Rs10 billion had been conducted through their bank accounts, the FIA said.

The accounts were used to launder money around different districts of the province, the agency's officials said, adding that some of the accounts were in Buner, Swat, Kalam and Basham.

"National Identity Cards of those involved have been sent to the State Bank for further information and to find out if there are more bank accounts present under their name," the FIA officials added. 

The case

The FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.

Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe. The former president's another close aide and Omni Group chairman, Anwar Majeed, and his son, Abdul Ghani Majeed, were also arrested by the FIA in August. Lawai, Majeed and his son remain under custody.

Earlier this month, FIA sources informed that the mastermind of the money laundering and fake accounts case, Aslam Masood, had been arrested by the Interpol from Jeddah.