Akuzat kundër pronarit shqiptar mund të bien

 
 
Akuzat kundër pronarit shqiptar mund të bien

Charges against Bray's Hamburgers owner could be  dropped
 



 
 
 
  
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Federal prosecutors say they need more time to obtain evidence against Tomo 
 Duhanaj and investigate other suspects. (U.S. Marshal Service)


 
 
 
 
 
Detroit — Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss charges Thursday  against 
the owner of the popular Bray's Hamburgers joint, who is accused of  being a 
violent loan shark and lying to federal agents. 
The government needs more time to obtain evidence against Troy resident 
Tomo  Duhanaj and investigate other suspects, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth 
Chadwell  wrote in a court filing. 
Prosecutors said they also need more time to decide if prosecuting Duhanaj 
is  in the public's interest. 
The move comes more than two weeks after court records were unsealed 
charging  Duhanaj with lying to federal agents. 
Duhanaj allegedly charged exorbitant interest rates to local Albanians,  
including a candidate for Congress. 
Duhanaj, 42, charged borrowers interest rates of more than 45 percent and  
threatened violence if the loans went unpaid, according to the criminal  
complaint. 
"The government is trying to build up their case before charging him,"  
Duhanaj lawyer Sanford Schulman said. 
"The government's making a lot of noise and maintains there's a lot there,  
but the problem is they're working off a little bit of rumor." 
Schulman has said his client denies the accusations. 
Chadwell could not be reached for comment Thursday. 
Duhanaj is being detained in jail without bond. 
One of the borrowers was Westland businessman John Goci, who lost a  
Democratic primary race this month against U.S. Rep. John Conyers. 
Goci also was arrested and arraigned Wednesday on a charge of lying to  
federal agents. 
He is free on $10,000 unsecured bond and has said he is innocent. 
The News previously identified Duhanaj as a former Albanian freedom fighter 
 who entered the United States illegally and is in the process of being  
deported. 
The deportation proceedings will continue, said Khaalid Walls, a spokesman  
with Immigration and Customs  Enforcement.