–President Ali dismisses US-sanctioned Mohamed’s video claims
–says businessman lied about vehicle value, presented falsified invoice to GRA
PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has strongly refuted claims made by US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed, describing his recent public remarks as “dishonest and factually incorrect.”
Responding to a video released by Mohamed, President Ali stated, “the video of Azruddin Mohamed reinforces his duplicity and dishonesty.”
He also addressed Mohamed’s reference to having the President’s phone number, stating, “My number is no secret. It is the same number I have had in and out of government, so having my number is nothing special. Thousands of Guyanese continue to contact me on various matters.”
The issue stems from the valuation of a luxury Lamborghini vehicle imported into Guyana.
The President made it clear that Mohamed never disclosed the true purchase price of the vehicle, which has since been revealed by US authorities to be US$695,000.
“As I stated before, at no time did Azruddin Mohamed present any invoice for US$695,000, which we now know is the true and correct value of the car. Instead, he reaffirmed and confirmed his lies that the invoice he shared and presented to GRA was US$75,000,” the President said.
He added: “We are also now aware of not one, but a series of financial transfers made to the same company, verifying what was actually paid for the car.”
According to President Ali, the issue at hand is clear, “Did he lie about the value he presented as the purchase price of the vehicle? The answer is yes. As he again maintains in the video, the value is US$75,000, which we know is dishonest and factually incorrect.
“Based on the facts now presented by the US authorities, he did lie and presented a falsified invoice to the GRA,” the President reiterated.
President Ali chose not to respond to personal remarks made by Mohamed, saying, “As regards the personal insults, I will not address those as it is a revelation of their true personality and nature.”
Mohamed is currently out on $500,000 bail for customs fraud and tax evasion involving the same luxury Lamborghini imported in 2020.
He appeared in court last week and pleaded not guilty to the two charges
The first charge alleged that he falsely declared the purchase price of a Lamborghini Roadster SVJ at US$75,300 when the real value of the vehicle was reportedly US$695,000.
The second charge alleged that Mohamed made the false declaration on or about December 7, 2020, at the Guyana Revenue Authority’s Camp Street office, which resulted in the evasion of taxes to the tune of $383,383,345.
The complaints were officially lodged by GRA Commissioner-General Godfrey Statia after the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) reportedly provided damning evidence, including the original invoice from the American dealership that sold the vehicle.
Authorities say the Lamborghini, which features a 6,500cc engine and bears Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) ZHWUN6ZDILLA09394, was imported using documentation that did not reflect its true value.
The case against Mohamed also includes wire-transfer records obtained from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), allegedly showing payments made from his account to the US seller that align with the higher value.
According to the GRA, the significantly undervalued declaration resulted in the non-payment of applicable duties and taxes, a matter now also under scrutiny in the High Court. If proven, Mohamed could be liable for substantial back payments and penalties.
Meanwhile, the GRA has initiated legal proceedings in the Demerara High Court against Mohamed and several of his family members, alleging that multiple luxury vehicles were grossly undervalued at the time of importation.
According to the tax agency, this caused the family to pay significantly less taxes than legally mandated.
As a result, the GRA is seeking a court order requiring the Mohamed family to pay an additional $1.2 billion in taxes on the under-declared luxury vehicles, which include a Toyota Land Cruiser PAB 3000, a Toyota Land Cruiser PAB 4000, a Lamborghini PZZ 4000, and a Ferrari 488 PAD 5000.
The Full Court of Demerara had refused an application by the GRA to overturn an existing injunction. The Bench comprised Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC and High Court Judge Nareshwar Harnanan.
The injunction, granted in April 2025 by Justice Gino Persaud, bars the GRA from seizing the luxury vehicles while the tax-evasion case against the Mohameds remains pending.
The GRA’s legal team is headed by Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, former Senator and Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, and includes Senior Counsel Robin Stoby, along with attorneys Maritha Halley, Judy Stuart-Adonis, Jason Moore, Fiona Hamilton, Ornise Gordon, and Nicklin Belgrave.
Following the Full Court’s ruling, the vehicles will remain in the Mohameds’ possession pending the outcome of the substantive case before Justice Persaud, who is expected to deliver his decision on September 12, 2025.
