GEORGETOWN – Tax-evasion charges against businessman Azruddin Mohamed have been swept off the books, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced today, clearing yet another legal hurdle as the United States ramps up efforts to haul the gold dealer before its courts.
According to the DPP, the May 2025 charges, filed by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), were discontinued because they were lodged before the Government of Guyana received the official extradition request from Washington. Once that request arrived, the domestic case had to be pulled back to comply with established legal principles.
“In light of this extradition request… and taking into account all relevant legal principles, including international comity, appropriateness, and fairness to the defendant, these charges were discontinued,” the DPP stated. The case that just collapsed involved allegations that Azruddin dodged taxes on a Lamborghini Aventador, an elite sports car that carried an invoice price of US$695,000.
Despite this, Mohamed previously claimed in court that he paid only US$76,000 for the vehicle. This latest withdrawal mirrors last week’s decision by the GRA to abandon separate tax-evasion charges against both Azruddin and his father, Nazar Mohamed. Those filings accused the pair of understating a staggering $32 billion in taxable income from gold exports between 2020 and 2024.
Nazar was accused of hiding $29.12 billion, while Azruddin allegedly failed to report $3.61 billion. Both men remain free on $150,000 bail each, even as the United States presses ahead with its bid to have them surrendered to face federal prosecution.
The father-and-son team was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in October 2025 on 11 criminal charges, including gold smuggling, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. With Guyana’s tax cases now cleared from their path, the extradition fight is expected to become even more intense, and far more consequential, in the weeks ahead.
