Saturday, June 20, 2015
Exotic car dealer arrested on gun charges
Mohamed "Michael" Ghanem has been living the high life, with a $10 million home in Boca Raton, a 65-foot yacht, trips in private jets, and the finest cars in the world, which he sold at the Domani Motors exotic car dealership in Deerfield Beach.
But his past caught up with him on Wednesday when federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives served search warrants at his home, business, and that yacht, called the Enigma.
Ghanem had been convicted in 2002 of federal racketeering, a first-degree felony, after he and his brother Abbas Ghanem were charged with ripping off insurance companies at their family-owned auto repair shops.
Federal agents allege that despite that conviction, the two brothers had amassed 23 firearms that were seized from his brother's Boca Raton home. Federal agents arrested Ghanem at Domani Motors and incarcerated him and his brother on firearm possession by convicted felons.
Domani Motors, with its fleet of Bentleys, Ferraris, and Porsches, remains open because it is owned on paper by Ghanem's wife, Darlene Daik-Ghanem. On Friday, she distanced herself from her husband, calling him a "salesman," and stating that she was already in the process of divorcing him when the raid came down.
"It had nothing to do with my business, they were employees," she said. "I run a clean business and what happened has nothing to do with Domani. Is my husband an idiot? Yes, he's an idiot."
According to the criminal complaint, Ghanem told agents he had purchased the weapons in anticipation his civil rights would be restored, though he admitted they had not been.
Abbas Ghanem was released from federal detention on Thursday after posting an $800,000 bond.
Michael Ghanem, who faces up to 10 years in prison, remains behind bars prior to a magistrate court hearing set for Monday morning in Palm Beach County.
But his past caught up with him on Wednesday when federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives served search warrants at his home, business, and that yacht, called the Enigma.
Ghanem had been convicted in 2002 of federal racketeering, a first-degree felony, after he and his brother Abbas Ghanem were charged with ripping off insurance companies at their family-owned auto repair shops.
Federal agents allege that despite that conviction, the two brothers had amassed 23 firearms that were seized from his brother's Boca Raton home. Federal agents arrested Ghanem at Domani Motors and incarcerated him and his brother on firearm possession by convicted felons.
Domani Motors, with its fleet of Bentleys, Ferraris, and Porsches, remains open because it is owned on paper by Ghanem's wife, Darlene Daik-Ghanem. On Friday, she distanced herself from her husband, calling him a "salesman," and stating that she was already in the process of divorcing him when the raid came down.
"It had nothing to do with my business, they were employees," she said. "I run a clean business and what happened has nothing to do with Domani. Is my husband an idiot? Yes, he's an idiot."
According to the criminal complaint, Ghanem told agents he had purchased the weapons in anticipation his civil rights would be restored, though he admitted they had not been.
Abbas Ghanem was released from federal detention on Thursday after posting an $800,000 bond.
Michael Ghanem, who faces up to 10 years in prison, remains behind bars prior to a magistrate court hearing set for Monday morning in Palm Beach County.
Boca brothers, racketeering convicts, snagged on gun charges
Two brothers affiliated with a high-profile, exotic car dealership are facing gun charges after federal agents descended on Domani Motor Cars, two Boca Raton residences and a 65-foot yacht Wednesday.
Michael Ghanem, 57, and his brother, Abbas Ghanem, 48, both of Boca Raton, were formally charged in court Thursday with being felons in possession of a firearm. Abbas Ghanem, who was released from custody after posting a personal surety bond, was convicted on a federal racketeering charge, a first-degree felony, on Nov. 25, 2002, and his brother was convicted of the same charge the next day.
No guns were found Wednesday at the auto dealership or on the yacht, Enigma, according to court documents. But at Abbas Ghanem's house, 1320 Royal Palm Road, federal agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found 23 firearms, half of which were loaded, and two suitcases filled with boxes of ammunition, court papers said.
At Michael Ghanem's house, 299 NE Spanish Trail, agents found a loaded magazine in the master bedroom nightstand, two loose rounds of ammunition in a gun safe and a hunting rifle and boxes of ammunition underneath his daughter's bed, according to court papers.
Michael Ghanem is identified in court papers as running Domani Motors at 70 SW 10th St Deerfield Beach. But his wife, Darlene Daik-Ghanem, said she's the owner and that her husband, the dealership's sales manager, and his brother, a salesman, will no longer be working there.
She's firing them and getting a divorce, she said.
"I married an idiot," she said, of the father of her four children, ages 17 to 25. "It's unfortunate. I do everything by the book."
Michael Ghanem will be detained at least until his pretrial detention hearing scheduled for Monday, according to his lawyer, Richard Lubin of West Palm Beach. His brother was released Thursday on an $800,000 personal surety bond, he said.
Michael Ghanem told federal agents he had gotten the guns in the hope his civil rights would soon be restored.
Sun Sentinel
Ageggis@sun-sentinel.com, 561-243-6624 or Twitter @AnneBoca
Michael Ghanem, 57, and his brother, Abbas Ghanem, 48, both of Boca Raton, were formally charged in court Thursday with being felons in possession of a firearm. Abbas Ghanem, who was released from custody after posting a personal surety bond, was convicted on a federal racketeering charge, a first-degree felony, on Nov. 25, 2002, and his brother was convicted of the same charge the next day.
No guns were found Wednesday at the auto dealership or on the yacht, Enigma, according to court documents. But at Abbas Ghanem's house, 1320 Royal Palm Road, federal agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found 23 firearms, half of which were loaded, and two suitcases filled with boxes of ammunition, court papers said.
At Michael Ghanem's house, 299 NE Spanish Trail, agents found a loaded magazine in the master bedroom nightstand, two loose rounds of ammunition in a gun safe and a hunting rifle and boxes of ammunition underneath his daughter's bed, according to court papers.
Michael Ghanem is identified in court papers as running Domani Motors at 70 SW 10th St Deerfield Beach. But his wife, Darlene Daik-Ghanem, said she's the owner and that her husband, the dealership's sales manager, and his brother, a salesman, will no longer be working there.
She's firing them and getting a divorce, she said.
"I married an idiot," she said, of the father of her four children, ages 17 to 25. "It's unfortunate. I do everything by the book."
Michael Ghanem will be detained at least until his pretrial detention hearing scheduled for Monday, according to his lawyer, Richard Lubin of West Palm Beach. His brother was released Thursday on an $800,000 personal surety bond, he said.
Michael Ghanem told federal agents he had gotten the guns in the hope his civil rights would soon be restored.
Sun Sentinel
Ageggis@sun-sentinel.com, 561-243-6624 or Twitter @AnneBoca
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