Three Michigan men face multiple charges for a violent kidnapping in Las Vegas linked to gambling debts, as detailed in recent reports. Issa Hamade, Ahmad Harb, both aged 32, and Sobhi Sobh, 33, were detained on charges including kidnapping, extortion, conspiracy, battery aimed at mayhem, robbery, grand larceny, and coercion through force or threats. These details were reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
During the court proceedings in Clark County, Hamade was identified as a dentist from Dearborn, Michigan. Harb was revealed to be a disc jockey and Sobh a physical therapist. They allegedly enticed Naved Azim, a New Yorker, to a hotel room at the MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip, according to information from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Azim faced severe physical abuse, including being beaten, strangled, suffocated with a pillow, gagged, and eventually locked in a closet. The abductors demanded $185,000 from Azim’s father to cover Azim’s supposed gambling debts to Harb. However, Harb later informed investigators that the debt amount was $325,000.
“Listen, your son scammed me of 185K in fake sports bets. I want my money, period,” the men allegedly communicated during a brief video call to Azim’s father, showing Azim badly injured on his knees.
The assailants further threatened Azim’s family and friends by gathering their location data, contact information, and addresses. They insisted on repayment utilizing forceful intimidation tactics.
In a court session, Hamade’s lawyer, Michael Troiano, argued Hamade’s innocence, describing him as a reputable citizen. He suggested Azim was involved in a dishonest gambling plot. Ryan Helmick, representing Sobh, noted the complexity of the case. Meanwhile, a Clark County public defender mentioned Harb had no prior criminal history. Fox News Digital sought comments from involved legal parties and the LVMPD.
Azim reported that he engaged in sports betting activities with a “promoter/bookie,” leading to his acquaintance with Harb. Harb once requested Azim to bet $2,300 on a New York Knicks game, promising a potential $20,000 payout. However, Azim allegedly never placed the bet, fabricating a betting ticket to deceive Harb into believing he had.
The deception expanded as Harb continued wagering through Azim, creating a fictional total of $100,000 in winnings, while Azim anticipated Harb’s losses might eventually cover his falsified bets. Despite this, the anticipated losses did not occur.
Each of the three defendants received a $100,000 bail and were instructed to avoid further contact with Azim.