A jetsetter, whose luxurious lifestyle was funded by “unexplained wealth”, was found with Bentleys, stolen artwork, £ 5 million homes and a “party box” of drugs, a jury heard.
The 40-year-old Aram Sheibani said to his girlfriend: “Don’t tell them anything.” Police escorted him from his apartment in Bowdon, Greater Manchester, a judge who was hearing at the Manchester Crown Court.
During a raid on his home, officials found £ 160,000 in cash and cocaine in his safe, a jury was told on the second day of his trial.
Sheibani bought a Bentley and documents show that a deposit of £ 25,000 was paid. However, his bank statements only show a transfer of £ 5,000, it said.
“He also bought a white Bentley convertible, bought it in California, it was brand new, and paid $ 250,000 in cash,” said QC District Attorney Nicholas Clarke.
Aram Sheibani (pictured) said to his girlfriend: “Don’t tell them anything.” Police escorted him from his apartment in Bowdon, Greater Manchester, a judge who was hearing at the Manchester Crown Court
Officials also found a sheet of paper with 24 handwritten words that were later recognized as the seed for cryptocurrency recovery and the code for a £ 136,000 bitcoin wallet – now valued at over £ 1.5 million.
The court heard that drugs, two Enco phones, two cash counters and the keys to a black Porsche Panamera parked outside were also found.
And a cache of drugs, considered a “party box” containing cocaine, MDMA, Viagra and numbing cream, was confiscated by police, it said.
On the same day, police carried out search warrants in three lockers, in which more cash, laptops, an Apple Macbook and two Porsche keys were found.
In the picture one of the money packages that the police found after several robberies
Mr Clarke QC said, “He has deposited significant sums of unrecorded cash to and from his UK and overseas bank accounts, enabling a lifestyle of designer goods, expensive artwork (albeit some of it stolen) and frequent international travel the norm.
He also bought two military-grade “Enco” phones that are very difficult to crack, extremely specialized, and expensive.
“Prosecutors say senior criminals are using ‘enco’ phones to hide criminal activity from law enforcement eyes.”
Officials also found an Ironkey Mission Impossible USB storage device that was found to be tamper-proof and expensive. If more than ten passwords are entered incorrectly, the device will destroy all data contained in them.
Sheibani bought a Bentley and documents show that a deposit of £ 25,000 was paid. However, his bank statements only show a transfer of £ 5,000, it said
It has been said that, despite many requests for passwords for the “Enco” phones and Ironkey, Sheibani has not provided any information to date.
The Crown claims that Sheibani’s tax records are incomplete and that there are some years when he has not filed a tax return or has not disclosed any income, profits or capital gains.
Mr. Sheibani paid for a number of cosmetic surgeries, including a nose job
It was said that there were significant deposits into his bank accounts that were not rental income, such as more than £ 267,000 from the sale of watches and £ 50,100 from the sale of gold coins.
Total bank deposits and unidentified cash / unknown payments reportedly over £ 3M.
The court heard that Sheibani traveled frequently within Europe and from 2010 flew internationally to Dubai, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Colombia.
“The police got his passport and he went to Colombia and visited three different cities,” added the prosecutor.
“Mr. Sheibani has also been subjected to two stops at border authorities where other significant amounts of money were confiscated.”
He was stopped at Manchester Airport on July 17, 2011 after returning from Ibiza. After a search, it was found in a plastic bag with over 42,000 euros.
Less than 12 months later, he was intercepted again and found with more money, it said.
The court heard that several arrest warrants for the Proceeds of Crime Act had been carried out at several addresses linked to Sheibani in Manchester and London.
Officers visited an apartment in Bowdon where Sheibani and his girlfriend lived at the time, it said.
In the picture the cocaine that was discovered after the search warrants
He tried to “thwart” the police investigation by not opening the door and “destroying evidence” until officers broke through the community door, prosecutors said.
Once inside, he appeared to be compliant at first and directed officers to a large metal vault which he claims contained £ 150,000 in cash and cocaine.
When escorted out of the apartment, he called to his girlfriend, “Don’t tell them anything, don’t comment * they’ll try to get you to talk, so don’t comment.”
In the police interview, he did not answer any of the questions asked and refused to provide passwords for his cell phones, computers and the USB Ironkey, the court heard.
Mr. Clarke QC added, “Two pieces of the artwork that were also confiscated from the apartment have since been identified as laundromats and favors by Ray Caesar – only 20 prints are in circulation.
‘Banksy’s golf sale and Andy Warhol’s ships were also recovered.
“We say these works of art were all stolen using debit cards, with the payment being processed first, then reversed, and then the items stolen.”
Sheibani denies receiving dishonest cash transfers; Scam; Forgery; Conversion of criminal property; Possession of criminal property; Conspiracy to deliver controlled drugs (cocaine) and distort the course of justice.
The process continues.