An example of how our government is corrupt - a personal true life story

People comment on occasion how I appear to be paranoid when it comes to mistrust of the government or other people in general.  Admittedly, yes there is a bit of paranoia there and for good reason.  After seeing what the government can do when they want to cause problems for others it would make anybody suspicious.

In 2005 a friend of mine, Adel Abuzaid, ran into some trouble with the New York State Taxation and Finance.  Adel, along with twenty other men, was accused of buying cigarettes and not reporting it to the tax department, article from Jihad Watch about 20 suspect in tobacco ring.  The incident happened during the year of 2005 and of course the accusations were false because they still had until April 27, 2006 to file their tax returns for the purchase they made of the cigarettes during the year of 2005.

The NYS police and local police from the cities, that the business were located, raided these twenty small business owners newsstands scattered around New York and their living quarters, booked them and jailed them before they could contact a lawyer and held them for six days during Ramadan.  When they raided the premises, it was, claimed, for the purpose that these men were doing it so that they could raise money for smuggling to Al-quadi.

The real story is that these twenty middle eastern men, nineteen from Yemen and one from Germany, came to trust a man from Sudan who began to sell them NYS stamped cigarettes.  They each bought several cartons of cigarettes from him throughout 2005, the one who bought the most was charged to pay a quarter million dollars and the least was ninety thousand dollars, which was my friend.  After doing a quick search on Hashim Mohammed, who they were dealing with, I discovered that he was originally arrested for possession of marijuana with the intent to sell.  They made a deal with him to help them with this "So called Sting Operation".

After researching and speaking with a tax lawyer, I urged Adel to work with the lawyer.  Adel was hesitant at first but finally agreed and after five years of fighting all charges were dropped, click here view Case 1:08-cv-01213-LEK-RFT Document 53 Filed 02/19/10.   I knew that if he tried to fight this without a lawyer that the outcome would not have been so successful.  This case was just another example of the government trying to get more money, close down these business and use 9/11 as an excuse.

After everything was finished with the legal issues, NYS taxation and finance was ordered to return monies that was taken from the gentleman's business bank accounts.  Except for Adel, everybody was given back their money.  It took awhile for them to give Adel back his money, assuming that NYS taxation and finance was pretty upset over the fact that he put up a fight and won.

Today whenever I have to deal with the government about legal issues the paranoia immediate kicks in.  After working years in offices, mostly state, the knowledge of what is done is there.  Since getting denied for unemployment and than being told on the phone that my letter requesting a hearing was not received after being mailed a week ago, my suspicions automatically go in full gear.  My previous employer has contacts and strings with different state agency, including the labor department makes me nervous, which is exactly why talking with a lawyer and going to the unemployment hearing with one is a good idea.