According to this article (which seemed to miss the local papers--were they partial, or sleeping?)
Osama El-Atari (former co-owner of the Steakhouse in Ashburn, a name which means so much more to me since I've heard a number of things that took place under Osama's watchful eye inside that restaurant...none of which I could get a second confirmation on...or you'd have read about them already.)
It is a matter of documentation that there are "some" heavy contributions to our old friends , the Snows and Statons of Loudoun, but the really juicy contributions are as yet unprovable ...and the recipients, unprovable. There was no paperwork.
"An affidavit filed by a Defense Department criminal investigator stated that Flanagan said he gave Mr. El-Atari an official agency police badge in what he hoped might be seen “as a gift for future business opportunities.” Mr. El-Atari is a restaurateur in Northern Virginia."
And what, you may ask, did Osama do with that badge?
"The affidavit also stated that Virginia alcohol control regulators contacted the Defense Department because Mr. El-Atari had included a badge from the agency in an application for liquor licenses at two restaurants."
Stay tuned. This will get better as credible sources chime in.
Update: A group of creditors has filed an involuntary petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy- They claim he owes them more than $41.6 million.
Update 7/16:
Not to be outdone by one of her distant-by-laws...Diane Atari (was married to Ali H. Atari, an Ashburn restaurateur who is believed to be a distant relative of Loudoun businessman Osama El-Atari. El-Atari is suspected of involvement in a fraud scheme, his creditors and a Loudoun County Circuit Court judge say) made about $1 million from a mortgage scheme. That money came mostly from commissions on the sale of the homes...with paperwork and credit scores often doctored by Atari to get approval.
Story HERE.
All this, and the Washington Post finally did a bit more on El-Atari today as well...
HERE.
4 comments:
Thanks for making the connection between Diane and Osama. The local newspapers don't seem to be able to put the pieces together. I guess the hostage situation last Friday overloaded the local papers.
I was asked if I'd heard about a realtor named Atari...and I thought...this has got to be one hell of a coincidence!!
I moved out of the area and just heard about this today. It's a shame that this runs in the family. His uncle from his mother's side was busted for bank fraud and identity theft about 10+ years ago. He fled and came back and did federal time. I heard his entire family fled the country this time. I would not be surprised if they were all involved.
Anon, Thanks for stopping by and putting that in the discussion.
It's one more facet of this instance that's worthy of investigation.
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