Charlotte businessman found guilty of selling stolen iPhones overseas in $4.5M scheme

CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte businessman has been found guilty of selling stolen iPhones and other electronic devices overseas in a multimillion dollar scheme, officials said.

Last year, a federal criminal indictment charged Rami Mahmod Mhana, 46, with four counts of international transportation of stolen goods, according to U.S. Attorney Dena J. King.

Mhana was the owner of Wireless City Fashions, Inc. and Protocol Business Group Inc. located at 441 Bradford Drive in Charlotte. He also owned multiple Boost Mobile stores in the Charlotte area.

As revealed during his trial, from at least May 2017 through October 2019, Mhana bought thousands of brand new iPhones and other electronic devices, many of which were stolen and fraudulently obtained. He then shipped the phones to the United Arab Emirates and to Hong Kong.

Mhana got many of the stolen devices from several local “boosters,” or people who steal or fraudulently acquire goods and products, selling them for profit.

According to trial evidence, the Bradford Drive store was known to local boosters as a place to sell the stolen devices for cash, no questions asked. Mhana gave his employees a price list of how much they should pay for certain devices, and he would pay boosters significantly less than the devices’ retail values.

Investigators said over the course of the scheme, Mhana received more than $4.5 million in international wires from buyers of the devices in Dubai and Hong Kong.

A federal jury found Mhana guilty of conspiracy, international transportation of stolen goods, and money laundering. He was released on electronic monitoring.

Mhana faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the conspiracy charge, up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of international transportation of stolen goods, and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine for each money laundering conviction.

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