(WIVB) A father and son were arrested and charged with a kidnapping conspiracy revolving around an alleged forced arranged marriage, the U.S. attorney announced Thursday.
Khaled Abughanem, 50, and Waleed Abughanem, 32, both of Lackawanna, were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to kidnap persons in a foreign country. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
According to the criminal complaint, in December 2022, the FBI investigated the travel of a woman victim, an adult American citizen, who investigators say was tricked into traveling from the Buffalo area to Yemen in an attempt to force her into an arranged marriage.
According to the complaint, Khaled, the victim’s father, and her brother, Waleed, allegedly discussed killing her if she did not abide by their wishes.
