U.S. Department of Justice Jeffrey A. Taylor United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Judiciary Center 555 4th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20530 PRESS RELEASE   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   For Information, Contact Public Affairs Channing Phillips (202) 514-6933 Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Local Exxon owner and operator who double-billed government contractors more than $120,000 sentenced to jail

Washington, D.C. - On November 21, 2006, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon sentenced a local Exxon owner and operator, Mahmud Rashid, to 180 days in jail, community service and $120,000 in restitution. Rashid, of Raleigh Lane, Stafford Virginia, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud on January 17, 2006, for his conduct in double-billing government contractors more than $120,000.

According to the statement of the offense agreed to by Rashid and the government, Rashid owned and operated an Exxon franchise at 950 South Capitol Street, SE, Washington, D.C., from on or about February 1, 2001 until the entrance of his guilty plea. Rashid's station was located among several government buildings and, as a result, was a popular location for government employees to refuel their government vehicles. Government agencies whose employees frequented the station included the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority ("DCWASA") and the D.C. Public Works ("DCPW").

Rashid, without authorization, obtained a pin number to access the credit cards issued to DCWASA and DCPW employees. Rashid then used the pin number to double bill the agencies when employees made legitimate purchases. Rashid used the same stolen pin number approximately 1,789 times to charge for illegitimate purchases at a loss to the agencies of more than $120,000.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Taylor commended the outstanding efforts of Special Agent Gordon Cummings of the General Services Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Special Agent Daniel Damron of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Donald Baxter, District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General; and former Special Agent Kimberly McKinley of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Finally, he thanked former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wan Kim and Michelle Merola and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Carlin, who prosecuted the case.