Mahmoud Mawaad, the University of Memphis student whose unusual interest in pilot gear attracted the attention of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, was sentenced Friday to 13 months in prison on fraud charges.
Mawaad was indicted on federal charges on September 29, 2005 and plead guilty on June 5, 2006. He used a fraudulent social security number to open a checking account and enter school. He also had an expired immigration visa.
Federal prosecutors took a special interest in Mawaad because he ordered several items from Sportys USA, a pilot equipment and training material distributor. Mawaad was not a licensed pilot, but ordered information on “how to talk like a pilot” and the layout of Memphis International Airport.
Read previous coverage of the case in the Flyer.