Tonight we have the third part of our extended interview with business man and industrial farmer John Zabaneh. The United States Office of Foreign Asset Control has designated him as a Kingpin, and alleged that he is the head of a local drug organization that works for the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexican. Now, since the boss of the Sinaloa Cartel Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman has been arrested in Mexico, Zabaneh is begging US authorities to clear his name, by asking Guzman if he knows Zabaneh and if he plays any role in the Cartel.
It's simplistic and far-fetched, but that's how far Zabaneh is willing to go. He's a desperate man, desperate to get out from under the Kingpin Designation, which has destroyed his business, and doesn't even permit him to have a bank or credit union account.
On Monday, Zabaneh told us about the man he believes tried to entrap him. That is Kahari Nash – who Zabaneh first discussed inMonday night's interview. Since then we have also been trying to find out about Nash – but neither the US Embassy in Belize nor the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the Washington would comment. But, he's a compelling part of Zabaneh's story – here's how he explained it:
John Zabaneh – Trying To Clear His Name
" first time I ever heard the name Chapo Guzman was from this gentleman. And he keep coming back, and he keep coming back. Every time he comes, to have it on record, I report it. Every single time. Every single time, it's reported. I…"
Jules Vasquez
"So, how did you respond when, he's trying to induce you into drug deals. How did you respond when he would try and induce you?"
John Zabaneh
"This guy would not let up. I told him exactly that: "I don't know who you're 30:33 talking about, and I am not in that business."
Jules Vasquez
"He told you some very insulting things that you have shown me. And you still accept him on your property?"
John Zabaneh
"I am facilitating. He's doing a job. And obviously, like the last time he came, this guy just stayed in front of my house, I went out to work, I come to Belmopan, I go to Belize City, he's right there."
Jules Vasquez
"Has he declared himself since then as an agent of…?"
John Zabaneh
None at all. None at all. When I told him look, I know, this guy was very insulting, very aggressive, very nasty and, but he still keep coming back. And, I thought to be facilitated, this guy is here, let him do his job and get off, what he's, he does not….
Jules Vasquez
"So up until recently, he's inviting you to enter into drug business with him."
John Zabaneh
"Up to recently, because, one, I am not in that business, no one will lure me into that business. And secondly I will not be set up or get entrapped so I make sure I am covered on all ends."
But Zabaneh is to some extent, lunging at shadows – because he says he doesn't know really where the Kingpin designation came from. He says it could also be from when that loaded drug plane landed on the Southern Highway in November of 2010. Now we have heard a lot of names in conjunction with that plane, but no local mastermind was ever established. Zabaneh says it's not him:
John Zabaneh
"This had to come from right here locally. Somebody came up with this story, and it had to be somebody influential. I don't know as I said, if it was so, I could more narrow it down and see, but I don't know. I still keep asking myself where this came from. I can only think, because at the time, that plane landed in the south. It was around that time that this thing started to be, that I got on this sanction list. So, I wonder if they are trying to connect me with that. And I want to state categorically that I have nothing absolutely to do with that, nor the people involved with it. They don't think that I am not working, they think that I am slick. But no slick person would land an airplane on the highway. And I want the DEA to really take this into account. No slick person would land an airplane on the highway a day where there's the Battle of the Drums in Punta Gorda, and there's probably a thousand vehicles headed down there. If that is one of the reason I have been put on this sanction list, OFAC, take it off. It's total garbage."
And while he's not into landing planes, back in November of 2001, he was into stolen vehicles from Guatemala. A bunch of them were found on his Mayan King Farm. Now, that's not drug running, but it is large scale illicit activity, and we asked Zabaneh about it
Jules Vasquez
"A number of stolen vehicles, or vehicles that were reported to be stolen, 30 or so I believe, were found on your farm."
John Zabaneh
"I believe that there were 13. Well, I can only say this much. I have never been to Guatemala and stolen any vehicle. I have lost a number of vehicles that I bought, hat turned out to be stolen, like many other people the length and breadth of this country. Those 13 vehicles, however, had no connection with me whatsoever."
Jules Vasquez
"But they were found on your farm."
John Zabaneh
"They were found on my farm, not - yes, they were found on my farm and otherwise, but I don't want to speak for the dead. I don't want to speak for or blame the dead. The person, let's say, he went to heaven. I am not going to say that vehicles were not taken away from me that were found to be stolen. I bought vehicles. I am always looking for vehicles - as I said, I buy vehicles from Copart. Everybody looks for a deal, and these deals came around, all the questions can be asked. All the questions can be asked. I am just by a name, and apparently, we're going to die with the name."
But Kingpin is not the name he wants to die with, and he made one last defence that he is not a drug dealer or a money launderer. Why? Because he says drug dealers don't need banks, and he needed plenty of them:
John Zabaneh
"Ever since I took over the management of the farms, there was not a single year that we did not borrow from one bank or the other, or several banks at the same time, a million and a half dollars or more, there was not a single year. Every single time, financial statements had to be provided. So to look at it, if I am involved, I am accused of money laundering or so - because OFAC that's what it is - of being involved with Mr. Guzman, I would not need to borrow, it's not consistent borrowing money and laundering at the same time."
The US Embassy declined to comment on all our inquiries about John Zabaneh. They referred us to the office of Foreign Assets Control in Washington. We forwarded our questions, but at newstime, had not gotten a reply.
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