The Hunt for Maan Singh

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The Hunt for Maan Singh Page 18

by Hipólito Acosta


  The next morning, everyone was buzzing about the injustice around the breakfast buffet. Poli went up to Mike Pearson, the Executive Associate Commissioner of Field Operations (vice Regional Director), and said, “Mike, this is wrong, giving the award for Seek and Keep to two individuals who don’t deserve it. A. J. and I are going to return our awards to the commissioner this morning. Right here.”

  Mike was incredulous. He turned and caught Lou Nardi walking by. “Lou, get over here!”

  “Yeah?” said Nardi.

  “I don’t care what you need to do, but you better get this straightened out.” He turned in a huff and walked away.

  Nardi looked at Poli and said, “What’s going on, man?”

  “What you guys did is fucking wrong. I have nothing against your staffers, but they did not deserve to be recognized for Operation Seek and Keep. Other people deserve that.”

  “Poli, I had nothing to do with that.”

  “That’s bullshit, and you know it. I’m going to return these awards to the Commissioner this morning.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “Let me think about it,” Poli answered and walked away.

  Poli went up to A. J. and asked, “What would be acceptable to you to resolve this?”

  “I don’t give a fuck about Connolly and Riley and their awards. But giving the award to the Dallas district is an insult to everyone who worked on this case, and that needs to be corrected,” said A. J. and smiled widely. “And I’m still giving it back.”

  The conference started promptly at eight. Nardi did not have much time, so he immediately leaned over and asked, “What do we need to do to fix this?”

  “We want each officer that we nominate to receive a replica of the commissioner’s award, a monetary amount and an appropriate ceremony in the commissioner’s conference room at the home office, and we want four officers nominated for the U.S. Attorney General’s Award: A. J. Irwin, Marc Sanders, Susan Rivera and George Ramírez.” Poli had submitted these names in nomination for the award, but they had been ignored in DC.

  “Okay, you got it,” Nardi quickly agreed.

  Poli wrote the deal down on a yellow pad and slipped it over for Nardi.

  Nardi, signed, “Okay, Lou.”

  The awards were approved—but Poli had to have the trophies manufactured in Mexico and lug them to the regional office in Dallas, where the ceremony took place. The agents were flown in from throughout the country and they were regaled, knowing little of the behind-the-scenes drama that had taken place for them to get their just recognition.

  The only ones who did not get awards were A. J. and Poli, who did give the plaques back, although not in front of Commissioner Meissner and the INS congregation.

  Acknowledgments

  We wish to express our deepest thanks to the original Dallas Seek and Keep Task Force: Diana Gómez (Garza) for being there in the beginning of the case, organizing all of the critical administrative issues, always being a loyal guardian angel and great friend who looked out for my best interest. George Ramírez for being a long-time friend and partner. Marc Sanders and Tim Tubbs, for supporting us during the investigation and for taking this experience and becoming leaders within the agency and examples to young agents. Steve Van Geem was the quiet giant who worked hard and kept things organized during undercover operations. He also was with us when we exited the Bahamas for the last time. Fidencio Rangel was a loyal and reliable partner and friend. Judd Granger for his eagerness to contribute.

  Matt Yarbrough for having faith in us and guts like no other federal prosecutor we have met.

  Greg Smith for his unquestioned support, allowing a senior officer to work undercover while heading a foreign office, meeting with U.S. ambassadors in support of the case and Phyllis Coven for opening the door with DOJ to get the case approved.

  Jorge Eisermann, Bob Ballow, Isaías López and Joe Banda for supporting us during foreign and domestic operations.

  Benny Aguirre for providing the leadership of the INS Ciudad Juárez office during Acosta’s long absences and making it even better. To Arthur Nieto for spending weeks at a time away from home in foreign countries in support of the investigation.

  Ernie González, who started this whole thing.

  Jake Jacobsen, who had the vision.

  Mike Dusenberry, Joe Aponte, Frank Lee, Mike Vail for their technical support and expertise.

  Mark Reed for supporting our initial requests and having the guts to open doors at high levels when needed and managing to stay level-headed despite our strong personalities.

  Dwayne Peterson for being the best boss A. J. ever worked for.

  Amanda Reid and Rich Lyons from the Postal Inspectors Office. Rich was outstanding in Newark and without him much of the financial part of the investigation in Newark would not have gotten done.

  Jim “Chili Dog” Ackers for being the perfect FBI agent on this case.

  Allan Hampton from the IRS.

  Todd Ostrom, who helped first identify Nick Díaz.

  Rick Van Ohlen, who was our only hope in Newark.

  Chris Croteau, who helped a lot in the beginning with installation of pen registers.

  Joe Rivera, who packed up from Chicago and moved to Newark to run our command center there.

  Supervisory Special Agent Mark Kelly, Newark, New Jersey, who did what he could in secret and defiance of the assistant director’s orders.

  Without the outstanding cooperation of the Port Director Dora Sánchez, Supervisory Inspector Lupe Fortune, Senior Inspector Dale Munson and the rest of the inspection staff at Miami International Airport, our undercover smuggling scheme from Quito to Miami would have been impossible.

  John Warner from American Airlines Corporate Security didn’t know A. J. Irwin from Adam. They never met. But John took a chance and allowed A. J.’s plan to formulate and succeed.

  All of the agents who were detailed in from various locations to help on the wiretap, surveillance and arrests and all the interpreters who so faithfully worked on a very difficult and sensitive case, for their loyalty and integrity to the project.

  Susan Rivera (Vásquez), who came into the case by happen-stance but immediately was impactful and contributed more than anyone will know or realize. She was an outstanding undercover agent and report writer, and is our life-long friend.

  Nancy de los Santos for believing in our story, getting us in the door and along with Tomás Benítez coming up with a great title recommendation. Thank you both.

  Finally, our gratitude and appreciation to Dr. Nicolás Kanellos for helping us make this book possible. Few will know how hard and long you worked to complete this project. Our entire community is indebted to you for all you have done in promoting our history and making it possible for writers to achieve their dreams.

  Appendix

  List of characters in alphabetical order

  Hipólito “Poli” Acosta

  officer in charge of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization office at the U.S. Consulate in Monterrey, Mexico; also used the name as “Fernando” for undercover operations

  Joe Aponte

  INS I.T. technician

  Abdullah Ashraf

  Egyptian based in Guatemala suspected of smuggling people

  Max Avery

  INS officer in charge in Ecuador

  Joe Banda

  INS agent

  Ishwar Barot

  Guvantla’s hawala collector

  Harry Betz

  head of the U.S. Customs air branch in Homestead, Florida

  Chepo Bonilla

  human smuggler

  Salvador Briseño

  INS agent who worked in Ecuador

  Gloria Canales

  an Ecuadorean headquartered in Costa Rica who worked with Maan Singh

  Isan Chaudry

  Nick Díaz’s right-hand man

  Jerry Chávez

  head of customs at the Caracas embassy

  John Connolly

  INS staf
f officer

  Phyllis Coven

  Director of International Affairs for the INS

  Joe de la Cruz

  chief of anti-smuggling unit in McAllen

  Nick Díaz

  aka “Nittin Shetty”, former protégé of Maan Singh

  Dipac

  Deli owner in New York

  Humberto León Duque

  smuggled undocummented people on El Almirante

  Mike Dusenberry

  INS agent

  Jorge Eisermann

  surveillance support in Guatemala

  Abdul Farooqi

  aka “Gulu”, second-in-command to Nick Díaz

  Larry Ferguson

  Assistant Chief of Intelligence for the Bahamas

  Dave Fermaint

  Susan Rivera’s supervisor

  Margarita Fernández

  Maan Singh’S ally and co-conspirator in his human smuggling ring

  Enrique Flores

  Special INS Agent from McAllen

  Joe Garza

  Chief Patrol agent, INS

  Saac George

  aka “Mohammad Kaddafi” and “Oman Kaddafi,” Syrian smuggler in South America, he also ran a tailor and tire shop as a cover up

  Dimitrious Georgeakoupulous

  supervisor of INS agency in Newark

  Judd Granger

  INS agent in the Sikh and Keep task force

  Nelson Hanna

  pilot who smuggled aliens for Nick Díaz

  Peter Hargraves

  Chief of Security at the Bahamas embassy

  Bill Harrington

  A.J.’s supervisor

  A. J. Irwin

  INS agent from Dallas; also used the name of “Andrés” for undercover operations

  Henry Astor Jacobs

  A. J.’s INS supervisor

  Jerry “Jake” Jacobson

  Assistant Regional Director for Investigations

  Karina Jaramillo

  Maan Singhs’ mistress and sister to Mónica Jaramillo

  Mónica Jaramillo

  Maan Singh’s mistress

  Jack Keeney

  Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, DC

  Naranjan Maan Singh

  smuggler of aliens

  Manohar

  smuggler who worked with Sharma and Hamid Patel

  Frank Marín

  member of the undercover review committee for the Department of Justice

  Carlos Martínez

  aka “Enrique Babaco;” smuggler and agent

  Marc Martínez

  San Antonio agent in charge of the Anti-Smuggling Unit

  Ken May

  agent from Oklahoma City who filed a summary report that included Amer Sultan phone tolls

  Doris Meissner

  INS Commissioner

  Tom Melsheimer

  Nick Díaz’s attorney

  Francisco Mera

  owner of Hostal Bavaria in Quito, Ecuador

  Mistery

  person who ran the stash house in the Bahamas

  Camile Moody

  coyote, person who worked with Hamid Patel in the trafficking of undocumented people

  Craig Moore

  pilot who smuggled humans for Nick Díaz

  Lou Nardi

  Director of Investigations for the INS

  Art Nieto

  trusted partner of Poli

  Rick Van Ohlen

  INS agent from Newark

  Pravine Kumar Patel

  single passenger sent by Maan Singh on the first flight to Miami via American Airlines

  Ramesh Patel

  high-level smuggler for Maan Singh

  Sharma and Hamid Patel

  smugglers of undocumented people into the United States

  Sunil Patel

  low-level human smuggler for Maan Singh

  Juan Pérez

  INS informant

  Michael Pearson

  Executive Associate Commissioner for Field Operations

  George “Jorge” Ramírez

  INS undercover agent who met people smuggled via Miami

  Fidencio Rangel

  INS agent in charge of surveillance for Sikh and Keep

  Jim Rayburn

  Special Agent from Spokane, Washington

  Amanda Reed

  INS undercover agent who was replaced by Susan Rivera

  Mark Reed

  Regional INS Director

  Joe Rivera

  INS agent

  Susan Rivera

  INS agent from Chicago

  Bobby Rodríguez

  Internal Affairs investigator

  Mike Ryan

  INS Task Force Supervisor

  Sandy Salmon

  Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in Caracas

  Abdul Sampson

  trafficked Afghan people and competed with Maan Singh

  “Barefoot” Sanders

  federal judge in Dallas

  Marc Sanders

  INS agent

  Navtej Sandhu

  human smuggler and target of Sikh and Keep

  Gunvantla Shah

  hawala broker for human smuggling ring

  Gurdial Singh

  hawala broker in Los Angeles

  Surinder Singh

  Naranjan Maan Singh’s son and co-conspirador in the smuggling of undocumented people

  Craig Stanfield

  INS Senior Special Agent in International Affairs, Washington, DC

  Amer Sultan

  pilot hired by Sharma and Hamid Patel to smuggled undocumented people into the United States

  Roger Thompson

  Army Reserves Colonel

  Tim “Rico” Tubbs

  new INS agent in charge of surveillance and back up

  Álvaro Valencia

  coyote from Guatemala

  Steve Van Geem

  INS agent in surveillance

  John Warner

  Senior Analyst of corporate security at American Airlines

  Wayne Wydrynski

  pilot who smuggled humans for Nick Díaz

  Matt Yarborough

  Assistant U.S. attorney

  Yovanna

  Margarita Fernández’s sister

 

 

 


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