A Lackawanna man who was convicted of conspiring with his father to kidnap his sister and force her to marry a man not of her choosing in Yemen was sentenced Thursday in federal court.
Adham Abughanem, 29, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of conspiracy to kidnap a person in a foreign country and kidnapping conspiracy.
Abughanem and his father, Khaled Abughanem, traveled from Buffalo to Guadalajara, Mexico in Sept. 2021 to kidnap a woman identified as Victim 1, who is the daughter of Khaled and sister of Adham.
The two conspired to transport Victim 1 to Egypt then to Yemen, where they confined her for more than year with the purpose of marrying her to a man not of her choosing.
Khaled Abughanem was also convicted and sentenced to 17 years. His conviction included the additional charge of threatening to retaliate against a victim, stemming from a threat in March 2023, when he said he would "slaughter" Victim 1 in retaliation for information Victim 1 gave to a law enforcement officer.
“These sentences send a clear message: kidnapping, coercion, and threats of violence—whether committed here or abroad—will be met with unwavering federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo in a press release. “Today’s outcome reflects our commitment to protecting victims and holding offenders accountable.”