Pakistani Man linked to the case Over $126 Million

A 33-year-old Pakistani man has been arrested in Lahore following an extensive investigation into a massive counterfeit postage scheme. Faheem Akram was taken into custody on Tuesday after a weeks-long search that involved raids across multiple regions, including Punjab, Islamabad, and Sindh, led by Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Pakistan: Multibillion-rupee call centre fraud revealed. Gang with $7.5m in fake currency arrested in RAK. When will Pakistan’s first astronaut fly into space. Wasim Akram questions Babar’s captaincy. Akram explains why coaching Pakistan is not for him.

US prosecutors allege that Akram operated a website known as LabelsBank.com from Pakistan between August 2023 and September 2026. According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Akram operated the unauthorised website from Pakistan.

The platform reportedly sold more than 5.1 million counterfeit shipping labels to over 5,200 customers.

By charging a flat rate of $2 per label regardless of a package’s weight or destination, the service bypassed official postal rates, causing more than $126 million in losses to the US Postal Service. Regardless of a package’s weight, size or destination, allowing customers to send parcels at rates far below official postal charges, the labels typically cost just $2 each. Not the amount Akram earned from selling the labels, the $126 million figure represents the alleged losses the postal service suffered. Seychelles Postal Services marks 165 years of progress.

Investigation and Evidence

• Operational Period: August 2023 to September 2026
• Web Status: Seized and shuttered by US authorities
• Raids Conducted: 35 locations searched
• Individuals Questioned: 47
• Special Investigation Teams: Eight teams deployed across Pakistan

Senior NCCIA official Atif Ameer noted that investigators identified 16 bank accounts linked to the operation. The distribution of these accounts included seven belonging to Akram, five to his brother, two to his wife, and one each to his sister and aunt. Authorities are continuing to probe whether additional accomplices assisted in the operation, payment processing, or the distribution of the fraudulent labels.

Legal Proceedings and Charges

A federal grand jury in Florida formally indicted Akram in September. Earlier in October, the US Postal Inspection Service had issued a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to his apprehension. Akram currently faces one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, five counts of making and selling counterfeit labels, and four counts of wire fraud. Dubai employee loses Dh8,000 in bank data scam. 9 jailed for impersonating police, stealing Dh400,000.

If convicted, the suspect faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy and counterfeiting charges, while each wire fraud count carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years.

At this time, it remains uncertain whether Akram will face trial in Pakistan or be extradited to the United States.

All charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Important Details

• Also Read: Dubai court orders Dh3.9m repayment in email hacking scam.
• Investigators raided 35 locations and questioned 47 people while tracing the suspect and examining the alleged financial network.
• Tricks bank into paying Dh882,000, also Read: Man in UAE forges documents.