Wasserman Schultz fires IT staffer following fraud arrest

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz fired an information-technology staffer following his arrest on a bank-fraud charge at a Virginia airport where he was trying to fly to Pakistan.

Wasserman Schultz spokesman David Damron said Imran Awan was fired Tuesday by the Florida lawmaker.

Awan's lawyer, Chris Gowen, confirmed his client was arrested Monday at Dulles Airport. He said Awan was cleared to travel and had informed the House of his plans to visit his family before the scheduled trip.

The 37-year-old Awan of Lorton, Virginia, was arraigned Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on one count of bank fraud. He pleaded not guilty and was released pursuant to a high-intensity supervision program, including he not travel beyond a 50-mile radius of his home, according to the court.

An affidavit filed with the criminal complaint stated there is probable cause to believe Awan and his wife, Hina Alvi, engaged in a scheme to defraud Congressional Federal Credit Union based on misrepresentations made to obtain a loan. FBI Special Agent Brandon Merriman said in the affidavit the misrepresentations revolved around written assurances the home serving as collateral for the loan was a "principal residence."

Merriman said the credit union normally does not provide home-equity lines of credit when the home used to secure the loan is a rental. That's because they are riskier forms of collateral. The investigation, which included physical surveillance and interviews, determined the couple did not reside at the property used to secure the loan.

The agent also attested bank records show $283,000 was wired to two people in Pakistan. He stated agents followed Alvi in March to Dulles International Airport, and she was allowed to board a flight. She has not returned. She has a return flight for September, but the agent said he believes Alvi has no intention of returning to the United States.

The FBI agent also stated Awan purchased a flight to Doha, Qatar, and then to Lahore, Pakistan. He purchased a return flight for a date in January.

Gowen says the federal bank fraud count stems from a "modest real estate matter" and is motivated by anti-Muslim bigotry. He said he's confident Awan "will soon be able to clear his name and get on with his life."

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 21, according to Gowen.