Photo of Nazem Ahmad released by the US Department of Justice.
BEIRUT — Sundar Nagarajan, the 66-year-old associate of Belgian-Lebanese art collector Nazem Ahmad, was extradited from London to the United States in early December, British authorities confirmed on Tuesday to an Indian press syndicate, according to reports by New Delhi TV and the Emirati media outlet The National. The extradition took place without a hearing, which was initially scheduled for 2024, following Nagarajan's agreement to stand trial in the United States.
Described by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as Nazem Ahmad's "chief international accountant," Nagarajan had been under US sanctions since 2019 for suspected Hezbollah funding.
Nagarajan is accused of playing a pivotal role in managing the financial aspects of an international money laundering and tax evasion network led by Ahmad, involving at least 52 individuals and entities, all sanctioned on April 18, 2023.
Nagarajan was arrested last April by London police. According to the US Treasury, Nagarajan handled the network's accounts "in Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa" and facilitated "payment and shipping of artworks purchased by Nazem Ahmad from major auction houses and art galleries."
Charges against him include "materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support or goods or services to or in support of Nazem Said Ahmad," as stated on the OFAC website.
Also known by aliases Kasiviswanathan Naga and Nagarajan Sundar Poongulam, Sungar Nagarajan hails from Madurai-Tamil Nadu, India, and holds residences in Hayes, England, and Antwerp, Belgium. Following his arrest by Scotland Yard, a British court reportedly denied his bail due to suspicions regarding his involvement in Hezbollah financing, despite his claims of being of Hindu origin and not supporting "Islamic terrorism," according to Indian press reports.
Ahmad's precise whereabouts are currently unknown; however, L'Orient-Le Jour has received information that suggests he has been residing with his family in Lebanon for years. The US government has offered a reward of up to $10 million for any information leading to his arrest.
