Khaled Abughanem, a 53-year-old resident of Lackawanna, New York, has been sentenced to 204 months in prison following his conviction for conspiracy to kidnap a person in a foreign country, kidnapping conspiracy, and threatening to retaliate against a victim. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo.
Prosecutors Charles M. Kruly and Maeve E. Huggins detailed that on September 8, 2021, Khaled Abughanem and his son Adham traveled from Buffalo to Guadalajara, Mexico as part of a plan to kidnap Khaled’s daughter. From September 10, 2021 through April 6, 2023, the two conspired to move the victim from Western New York to Cairo and then Sanaa, Yemen. She was held there for about sixteen months with the intent of forcing her into marriage against her will. On March 14, 2023, Khaled threatened to “slaughter[]” his daughter in retaliation for information she provided to law enforcement about the crime.
Both Khaled and Adham Abughanem were convicted at trial; Adham is awaiting sentencing. Another brother of the victim, Waleed Abughanem, previously pleaded guilty to misprision of felony and received a three-year prison sentence.
“Khaled Abughanem, along with his sons and other family members, traveled internationally in an attempt to force his daughter and their sister into a forced marriage in Yemen,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “What this defendant and the others failed to recognize was holding someone against their will, so they can enter into a forced marriage, is a crime in the United States. Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct as he will now spend a significant period of time in prison.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI will aggressively pursue those who exploit family ties to commit violent crimes and deprive victims of their freedom,” said Philip Tejera, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to protecting victims and working with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for crimes that cross international borders.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service welcomes today’s sentencing of Khaled Abughanem for conspiring to kidnap his own daughter in New York and attempting to force her to marry in Yemen,” said DSS Protective Intelligence Investigations Director Greg Anderson. “Justice was served thanks to the unshakable courage of the victim in this case as well as the close collaboration between DSS, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Lackawanna Police Department,”
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Lackawanna Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and CBP Boston.
