NO JOKE: Army Translator and His Family Arrested For Welfare Fraud...then Requests a Translator!

02.11.2014

Amirjan Hayatullah, Lailuma Meherdil, and Neshat Hayatullah
Photo: Albany County Sheriff’s Department

Albany County Sheriff Craig D. Apple Sr. reports the arrest of three individuals for allegedly defrauding the Department of Social Services. Earlier this week, the Department of Social Service Investigators contacted the Albany County Sheriff’s Office for assistance in the execution of two arrest warrants. The warrants had been issued for Lailuma Meherdil (44) and her husband Amirjan Hayatullah (47), both residents of the City of Cohoes. Both parties had been indicted for fraudulently receiving in excess of $10,000 in DSS benefits.

On Thursday, January 23, 2014, Sheriff’s Investigators located Lailuma Meherdil at her residence in Cohoes and she was placed into custody without incident. During her arrest, she informed Investigators that her husband was working in Louisiana at a United States ARMY base and that he was scheduled to return to the area earlier next week. Information obtained during the investigation revealed that Amirjan Hayatullah was apparently employed as a translator in Afghanistan by a contractor hired by the United States Government. The name of the contractor was reported to be Mobius Industries USA Inc. and he had earned $150,000 annually in his capacity as a translator.

Meherdil was arraigned on two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, class “D” Felony, four counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Third Degree, class “E” Felony and Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, class ”D” Felony. Meherdil was arraigned in Albany County Court before the Honorable Supreme Court Justice Thomas Breslin who remanded her to the Albany County Correctional Facility without bail. Although Sheriff’s Investigators conducted surveillance on the residence they were unable to apprehend the husband Amirjan Hayatullah. Investigator’s interviewed the suspect’s son, Neshat Hayatullah, who stated that he had not heard from his father in some time and he was not certain when he would be returning to the area.

 On Friday, January 31, 2014, Sheriff’s Investigators received a letter from the Meherdil, who remained incarcerated at the Albany County Correctional Facility. The letter stated that she had received a visit from her husband Amirjan Hayatullah, stating that if she revealed the whereabouts of his hiding location, he would kill her. Investigators immediately resumed surveillance on the residence and during the course of that surveillance, the couple’s son, Neshat Hayatullah, was seen leaving the residence. Surveillance teams followed the son to a location on Manor Avenue in the City of Cohoes where a male was witnessed exiting a wooded area and entered a vehicle. The vehicle was stopped by Sheriff’s Investigators and hiding in the rear passenger seat was Amirjan Hayatullah. Both Amirjan Hayatullah and Neshat Hayatullah were placed into custody and were transported to the sheriff’s office for processing.

Neshat Hayatullah was charged with Hindering Prosecution in the third degree, a Class “A” Misdemeanor. He was processed and was released on an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in the City of Cohoes Court on February 27, 2014 at 12:30 pm.

 Amirjan Hayatullah was processed and transported to the Albany County Correctional Facility where he was held pending his arraignment in Albany County Court this morning. His arraignment before the Honorable Supreme Court Judge Thomas Breslin unfortunately had to be postponed when  Mr. Hayatullah requested an Afghanistan interpreter. His arraignment was rescheduled for today and he was arraigned on Grand Larceny Third Degree, and four counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. At this time bail has not been set.

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