October 8, 1999

JAMAICA WOMAN ARRESTED IN ALLEGED CALL SELL FRAUD; CHARGED WITH BILKING OVER $300,000 FROM LONG DISTANCE CARRIERS.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the arrest of a Jamaica, Queens woman on charges of stealing $300,000 from Nextlink, two telecommunications companies and an additional $3,000 from Allegiance Telecom by means of a long distance telephone call operation she allegedly ran in Jackson Heights.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Azra Rashid Rehman, 35, of 85-16 152^nd Street, Jamaica. She is charged with grand larceny, scheme to defraud and falsifying business records. If convicted she faces up to 15 years in prison.

District Attorney Brown said that it is alleged that during a three month period this summer the defendant stole $300,000 from Nextlink through a "Call-Sell" center called Call-Time, located at 74-04 37^th Road, Jackson Heights. According to District Attorney Brown, a "Call-Sell" operation is a business that sells long distance calls to people who do not have their own telephone service. The Call-Sell generally offers better rates than standard long distance service although the same carriers provide the service. The customer pays the seller a lump sum and the seller keeps track of the money in the individual customer's account as the calls reduce or deplete the account. The seller, meanwhile, is then expected to pay the local and long distance carrier for the calls. In addition, walk-in customers from the street were able to make inexpensive international calls in eleven booths at this location.

District Attorney Brown said, "Our investigation revealed that in three months time the defendant failed to pay for $300,000 in long distance calls provided by Nextlink to customers of the 37^th Road call-sell. In brief, it is alleged that the customers paid the defendant for the calls but the defendant never paid the carrier and never intended to pay the carrier".

It is also charged that the defendant similarly stole $3,000 worth of local call service from Allegiance Telecom.

At the time of arrest detectives executed search warrants at the call-sell and the defendant's home and took custody of business and banking records used in the operation. They also discovered a camera monitoring system that allowed the defendant to visually supervise her employees from her home.

District Attorney Brown expressed his appreciation to the Manager of AT&T's Investigations Division Candace Johnson, Vice President of Nextlink Kim Albano and the Director of Allegiance Telecom Charles Johnson for their assistance in the investigation.

Detective Joanne Karmel and members of the Queens District Attorney's Squad, under the supervision of Captain Harold J. Knorr, Lieutenant Kenneth Rosello and Sergeant Frank Russo conducted the investigation. Assistant District Attorney Diane M. Peress, under the supervision of Bureau Chief of Economic Crimes, Michael J. Mansfield, Deputy Bureau Chief John R. Mechmann and Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Robert D. Alexander, is in charge of the case.

It is to be noted that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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