Yemen's P.T.O.C reveals Houthi companies involved in money laundering

The platform for tracking organized crime and money laundering in Yemen (P.T.O.C), has obtained documents related to the establishment by the Iran-backed Houthis of new secret entities, companies and financial groups affiliated with the office of Abdul Malik al-Houthi and managed by the Security and Intelligence Service, with the aim of laundering money and controlling the national economy, circumventing the consequences of the designation of the Houthis as a terrorist group, and ecading the sanctions imposed on their leaders by the UNSC, US, and UK.

Houthi companies are concentrated in various sectors, especially land and real estate, pharmaceuticals, agricultural supplies, cigarettes, foodstuffs, maritime and land transportation, currency exchange, and financial institutions.

These companies are managed by members of the Security and Intelligence Service, whom the Houthis appointed in various government and private companies to gain the necessary experience and then establish new companies, to launder millions of dollars and billions of riyals obtained from tax and customs revenues, revenues from oil derivatives, domestic gas, state lands and real estate, endowment funds, central and local budget allocations, and special funds.

The US State Department announced on January 17 that the Houthi group was a specially designated terrorist group, and the designation went into effect on February 16.

The designation came after Houthis launched unprecedented attacks on international ships passing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since last November, as well as on military forces stationed in the region to defend the security and safety of commercial shipping.

The United States also imposed sanctions against a number of Houthi officials for supporting the armed group's reckless and unlawful attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Here is the list of new Houthi company officials:

1 - Mohammed Abbas Qasim Amer:

Undersecretary of the Security and Intelligence Service and the main supervisor of money laundering and the Houthi economic sector. He is in charge of managing a complex financial and economic system to finance the intelligence side linked to Iran. He is one of the most important Houthi security and intelligence elements controlling the group's secret economic situation.

2- Hasan al-Kahlani:

Undersecretary of the external sector in the Houthi Security and Intelligence Service. He holds the position of a second undersecretary in the Houthi Security and Intelligence Service, as well as carrying out repressive security and economic tasks against commercial and political figures.

3- Mohammed Ahmed El-Talebi:

Assistant Minister of Defense for Logistical Support Affairs and Director of the Procurement Department at the Ministry of Defense. He is in charge of purchasing and transporting weapons within the Houthi group. It is indicated that he belongs to a family close to Abdul Malik al-Houthi, and most members of this family hold sensitive positions in the field of money laundering across more than one sector.

4- Khaled Mohammed Khaleel:

The head of the economic department of the Houthi Security and Intelligence Service, who is in charge of collecting money and taxes from exchange companies and commercial companies operating in Yemen in general, and has committed heinous violations against merchants, businessmen and money changers who refused to launder Houthi money. The Houthi group presents him to the forefront due to his specialization in the financial sector of the former National Security Service.

5- Abdullah Al-Mutamaiz:

He is in charge of the financial procurement department of the Houthi Security and Intelligence Service, and is linked to a large complex financial network based on the purchase of real estate assets and expensive properties for Houthi leaders.

6- Abdullah Hussein Al-Houthi:

The eldest son of the founder of the Houthi movement (Hussein Al-Houthi). He undertakes secret missions to launder Houthi funds. He frequently travels to Iran, Oman, and Greece.

7- Abdul Malik Mohammed Saleh Atef:

A leader linked to the Houthi money laundering network by buying real estate and assets for Houthi leaders. He works in the Land Committee, which is famous for confiscating thousands of hectares of land belonging to citizens and opponents of the Houthi group, led by (Abu Haidar Jahaf), who works in the military police. In addition to his association with various institutions and interests, most notably the Yemeni Oil Company, which granted him several privileges in secret. Abdulmalik is known to be associated with Houthi money laundering and laundering operations through Al-Rawda Exchange Company, which is part of the Iranian Saeed Al Jamal network, which supplies the Houthi group with Iranian money and weapons.

Abdulmalik uses the charitable foundation "the House of Humanity" to cover up his money laundering activities for the benefit of Houthi leaders and to control relief quotas from international organizations.

8- Abdullah Al-Na'ami:

He is responsible for laundering money, transporting it to and from Iran, as well as transferring logistical information. He works in the so-called "Supreme Council for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs" (SCMSA), in addition to his work in other positions within the Houthi government.

The (P.T.O.C) maintains exclusive details and videos documenting his visits to Iran during the recent period.

9 - Zaid Ali Yahya Hasan Al-Sharafi:

One of the Houthi merchants, and is considered one of their most important financial officials. He also oversees a number of investment companies belonging to a number of the militia's first-line leaders, the most important of which are the companies and investments of Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, a member of the "Supreme Political Council".
Al-Sharafi has established a number of companies that work for the Houthi militia and are registered in the names of other people. Among these companies are:

    Yemen Crude Oil Trading and Services Company.
    Mr. Oil Trading and Import Company, which was established in 2018 and works for the Houthi militia in the field of oil and gas services. The company worked for a while in the oil trade, but no activity was observed during the recent period.
    Star Plus Pharmaceutical Industries, which was established in 2020 as one of the Houthi militia's companies. Its activity is not limited to medicines, but rather engages in suspicious activities.


On December 6, 2022, Central Bank of Yemen Governor Ahmed Ahmed Ghaleb issued a circular directing all exchange companies in Yemen to freeze all accounts and prohibit commercial and financial transactions with 12 blacklisted companies, including three companies owned by Zaid bin Ali al-Sharafi.

These companies include:

1) SAM Oil Trading and Services Company (Saddam bin Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Mohammed Al-Faqih and Zaid bin Ali bin Yahya Al-Sharafi).
2- Al-Zahra'a Trading and Agencies Establishment (Nabil bin Abdullah bin Ali Al-Wazeer).
3- Fuel Oil Company for importing oil derivatives (Ismaeel bin Ibrahim al-Wazir and Qusay bin Ibrahim al-Wazeer).
4- Salam Road Trading and Importing Company (Zaid bin Ali bin Yahya Al-Sharafi) (Zaid bin Ali bin Yahya Al-Sharafi).
5- Abkar Oil Services (Abdullah bin Abkar Abdul Bari).
6- Al-Faqih International Company for Trade, Import and Oil Services Limited (Saddam bin Ahmed bin Mohammed).
7- Oil Company (Zaid bin Ali bin Yahya Al-Sharafi).
8- Abbott Trading Company Limited (Ali Ahmed Daghsan).
9- Black Gold Company (Ali bin Naser Qarsha).
10- Al-Awadi Commercial Group Company (Zaid Zaid Al-Awadi and Partners).
11- Al-Hammadi Trading and Refrigeration Company (Ali Mohammed Mukred Al-Hammadi).
12- Atlantic Oil for importing petroleum derivatives (Ahmed Mohammed Saleh Al-Baydhani).