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  • 2017-07-26 (xsd:date)
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  • Did The Federal Bureau of Investigation Seize Smashed Hard Drives From Rep. Wasserman-Schultz's Home? (en)
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  • On 24 July 2017, dubious web site FreedomDaily.com posted a story containing the claim that Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Florida) had been the subject of a raid by federal officials because of an investigation into her former aide, 37-year-old Imran Awan. According to the story, FBI agents seized smashed computers and hard drives from the lawmaker's home. But the Daily Caller story cited by FreedomDaily.com contradicts that argument, saying that it was Awan — not her — who had lived on the premises: The report also describes the site of the alleged raid as Wasserman-Shultz’s home that had previously belonged to the Muslim IT administrator, but that statement is also debunked by the Daily Caller story, which states that the equipment was reported by an unidentified couple who took over the Virginia home after Awan abruptly moved out in February 2017: We contacted not only the FBI, but Capitol Police and the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia, all of whom refused to comment on whether any hard drives had been taken from Awan's former home. Awan was arrested on 24 July 2017 at Dulles International Airport in Virginia while trying to leave the U.S. He was fired from Wasserman-Schultz's office the following day. Wasserman-Schultz terminated Awan's employment months after he and his wife, Hina Alvi, were fired by two of Wasserman-Schultz's colleagues, Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-New York), respectively. Awan was accused of providing false information to the Congressional Federal Credit Union while seeking a loan. He pleaded not guilty to one count of bank fraud, and was released on the condition that he wear a GPS monitor, turn over all of his passports, remain within 50 miles of his current home, and abide by a curfew. A grand jury indicted Awan and Alvi on 17 August 2017 on charges of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, engaging in unlawful monetary transactions, and making false statements on a loan or credit application. Awan is due back in court on 21 August 2017 for a preliminary hearing. The couple and three other men — Awan's relatives Abid Awan and Jamal Awan and Rao Abbas — have been under investigation by Capitol Police since February 2017 for allegedly stealing equipment from various House Democrats and misuse of the House's internet technology system. (en)
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