A dual citizen of the United States and Syria who evaded arrest for over two decades pleaded guilty Thursday for his role in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay gratuities to a federal public official, according to officials.
According to court documents, between 1993 and 1998, Ammar Kanaan, 61, of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, worked as a private sector contractor providing transportation engineering services to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Kanaan engaged in a scheme to provide unlawful cash payments and money orders to an FHWA official, officials stated.
To reimburse themselves for the funds paid to the public official, Kanaan and other contractors – with the official’s permission – submitted false invoices through which they obtained FHA funds to which they were not entitled.
Shortly after federal agents interviewed Kanaan about this conduct in 1998, he fled to Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
Kanaan successfully challenged extradition in both countries.
Through the dedicated efforts of federal law enforcement, however, officials stated that Kanaan was ultimately located and arrested by Italian authorities while traveling in Italy in August 2022.
Italian authorities extradited Kanaan to the U.S. on Jan. 5.
Kanaan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay gratuities.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19 . He is facing up to five years in prison.
The FBI Washington Field Office and DOT-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section is prosecuting the case.