Monday, May 7, 2012

NEWS 3

TSM director asked to resign after brief term in position

By Kayla Jonsson Daily Texan Staff

Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff file photo

Said Faiq, the brother of Karim Faiq, leaves the United States District Courthouse after being given custody of Karim the afternoon of March 28, 2012.

Ten arrested for drug money connection in raid

By Sarah White Daily Texan Staff

Ten Austin area residents connected with Yassine Enterprises, operator of several Austin night club venues, were arrested March 22, 2012 in a federal investigation related to drug and money laundering charges. The FBI, Internal Revenue S e r v i c e , D r u g E n f orc e m e nt Administration, Texas Comptrollers Office, Texas Attorney Generals Office, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and Austin Police Department were all involved in official business at Treasure Island Pirate Bar on Sixth Street near Neches Street, said IRS spokesman Mike Lemoine. FBI agents and other department officials were seen at the bar collecting documents and boxes of potential evidence around 11 a.m. March 22, 2012. Lemoine said the investigation of Yassine Enterprises involves all venues managed by the company: Treasure Island Pirate Bar, Pure Ultra Lounge, Kiss & Fly, Stack Burger Bar, Malaia World Lounge, Roial, Hyde, Fuel and Spill. Company owner and president Hussein Ali Yassine, also known as Mike Yassine, 40, was among those arrested. According to a statement by the U.S. Department of Justice, Authorities believe that [Hussein Ali Yassine, Hadi Ali Yassine, 35, Mohammed Ali Yassine, 38, and Marisse Marthe Ruales, 33] used several business establishments located in downtown Austin to launder over $200,000 in cash, which they believed to be the proceeds of narcotics trafficking. According to the statement, the government is filing criminal charges and seeking monetar y judgements against the defendants totaling about $300,000, which they claim represents property involved in the

alleged offenses. All defendants are still in federal custody and face maximum prison sentences anywhere from 20 years to life, according to FBI spokesman Erik Vasys and the statement. Federal authorities also believe defendants Mohammed Ali Yassine and Nizar Hakiki, 32, transferred a firearm with the knowledge that the weapon would be used to commit a drug trafficking crime. Mohammed Ali Yassine and Amar Thabet Araf, 29 are acc u s e d of d i s t r i b ut i n g l a r g e quantities of cocaine between December 2007 and Jan. 11, 2008, according to their official indictment. [Three of the defendants] unlawfully, knowingly and willf u l ly did combine conspire, confederate and agree with others k now n and un k now n to distribute five hundred grams or more of a mixture or subst anc e c ont ai n i ng a d e te c t able amount of cocaine, the indictment stated.

The United States Government sought to hold Yassine and Araf liable for the forfeiture of $13,600, constituting the proceeds of the above-described offenses, in the indictment. All defendants appeared in court yesterday afternoon and are scheduled to have a further hearing on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Green. Yassine Enterprises is also the subject of a class action lawsuit filed by former employee Jake Webb, who claims that the company regularly refused to pay wages to tipped employees. That case does not appear at this point to be related to the federal investigation. APD officers have been assisting the FBI with the investigation and were present for the search, said Lisa Cortinas, spokeswoman for APD. Printed on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2012 as: Yassine Enterprises facing multiple charges

[Three of the defendants] unlawfully, knowingly and willfully did combine conspire, confederate and agree with others known and unknown to distribute five hundred grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine.
Indictment from the Dept. of Justice

Former Texas Student Media director Gary Borders said Feb. 15, 2012 that his Feb. 8, 2012 resignation came under pressure from the office of the Vice President of Student Affairs rather than because of personal reasons as had been previously announced. After serving as TSM director for seven months, Borders announced his resignation abruptly. Borders spoke out Feb. 15 saying he did not wish to resign, but chose it rather than being fired. Borders said he was not given a warning or valid reason for what he said was a forced resignation by the Student Affairs vice president Juan Gonzalez. I was called to meet with Mr. Gonzalez last week and he told me I had to resign or be fired, Borders said. It was a very brief meeting. I was stunned. Gonzalez, who announced in July he will be leaving the vice presidency to return to teaching, told The Daily Texan in an email that all university employment policies were followed. Mr. Borders decided to resign after meeting with my office about employment expectations, Gonzalez said. Had Mr. Borders not decided to resign, UT employment policies would have continued to have been followed in my office in consultation with the Board of Consultation Trustees. Members of the TSM Board of Trustees, which jointly oversees TSM with the office of student affairs, expressed frustration over not being consulted about Borders departure. Student Media Board President Lindsey Powers said she was surprised by Borders resignation and was unaware of whether the Vice Presidents office forced him to leave. I have not heard anything officially or legally, Powers said. I would like some answers. Borders said Gonzalez told him he was not collaborative and

was not doing enough to balance the budget. As one of his primary responsibilities, Borders was expected to help TSM overcome a projected deficit of about $175,000, according to a letter from the vice presidents office. He said the office balked at some of his suggestions for doing so. Borders said his proposal, which was never made official, suggested selling TSTV and KVRX in an attempt to gain $3 million for TSM, and this might have played a role in his forced resignation. Borders said Student Affairs assistant vice president Jennifer Hammat told him Gonzalez did not support the idea at all. I had talked to Mrs. Hammat about the idea before I wrote it up and she did not say she agreed with it, but she didnt say it was completely crazy either, Borders said. We talked again after she showed it to Gonzalez and she said he absolutely hated it. Borders said he did not have a contract and was told he was hired under the pleasure of the president and could, therefore, be terminated at any time. Although Borders is upset by the forced resignation without any warning, he said there is no legal issue. I was never evaluated before that meeting, Borders said. I was never before given a warning about what I needed to change or do differently. I was never reprimanded. Nothing. Powers said the TSM board is planning a meeting soon to discuss an interim replacement for the position. Borders previously worked for newspapers throughout East Texas where he served as publisher and columnist, according to his website. Previously publisher of Cedar Parks Hill Country News, Borders said he hoped to hold the TSM position for as long as possible, according to a June 2011 Daily Texan article. He replaced Hammat, who served as interim director for a year and a half. Printed on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2012 as: Student Media Director asked to resign.

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