HAMTRAMCK – In the first criminal charges to emerge from ongoing investigations into alleged corruption and fraud involving several city officials, City Councilmen Muhtasin Rahman Sadman, 26, and Mohammed Kamrul Hassan, 57, appeared in court last week on charges of alleged criminal activity from July 7, 2023, to Nov. 7, 2023 a time period that includes both the August primary and November general elections, in which Hassan and Sadman were running. The charges don’t specify which of the two elections the alleged fraud involves.

The two Councilmen, both of Bangladeshi descent, were arraigned at 31st District Court in Hamtramck by Monroe County Prosecutor Jeffrey Yorkey, who was assigned to the case after Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recused herself to avoid what she described as accusations of bias against Muslims.

Hassan faces three charges, including two felonies — forging a signature on an absentee ballot application and intentionally defrauding election law — each punishable by up to five years in prison and a $1,000 fine, as well as one misdemeanor count of making false statements on an absentee ballot application, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine.

Sadman faces the same three charges, plus two additional felony counts of attempting to have ineligible voters cast ballots, each carrying a maximum sentence of four years in prison and a $2,000 fine.

Judge Alexis Krot set Hassan’s bond at $2,500 and Sadman’s at $7,500 pending further court proceedings.

Court documents outlined a timeline of the alleged fraud between July 7 and November 7, 2023, covering both the primary and general elections for City Council. In that race, three Council seats were contested. Hassan was seen as a mentor and political supporter for newcomer Sadman. In the August 2023 primary, both advanced to the general election after placing fourth and fifth respectively, while then-incumbent Nayeem Choudhury came first.

In the November general election, Choudhury lost his seat after failing to place in the top three. Hassan won re-election for another four-year term, finishing first, while Sadman placed third, earning his first term on the Council.

Nearly a year later, in November 2024, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office filed election fraud complaints against both Hassan and Sadman, recommending arrest warrants. On March 10 of this year, prosecutors further alleged that some Hamtramck City Council candidates had paid recently naturalized citizens to fill out absentee ballots on their behalf.

Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj also notified Nessel’s office on March 12 of suspected absentee ballot fraud in the 2023 elections. As a result, Nessel requested the appointment of a special prosecutor, citing the need to avoid accusations of bias due to her political disagreements with the accused over Gaza and LGBTQ+ rights — especially given Nessel’s own identity as a member of the LGBTQ community and her outspoken support for Israel, which had previously led to clashes with pro-Palestinian activists.

Special Prosecutor Yorkey told the Detroit Free Press on Monday that the charges followed “a thorough review of law enforcement investigative findings”, stating that both Hassan and Sadman falsified absentee ballot applications with intent to commit election fraud and that Sadman assisted or advised two ineligible voters to cast ballots in the 2023 election. He did not disclose the names of the voters involved.

Sadman told the Detroit Free Press the charges were “completely fabricated to tarnish the reputation of our community, the Muslim and Bangladeshi community”, adding, “This is a manufactured case, and we will fight these charges.”

Hassan, who works for Ford Motor Company, had previously denied any wrongdoing during a June City Council meeting.

“These corruption allegations have hurt me at my workplace… They have destroyed my reputation.”

Hassan was first elected to the Hamtramck City Council in 2009 and is known for his outspoken positions, gaining national attention in 2023 when he proposed banning LGBTQ+ flags on public property in the Muslim-majority city — a measure that later passed amid widespread controversy. He also ran for mayor in 2017, advancing to the general election against then-Mayor Karen Majewski, who ultimately won with 61 percent of the vote (1,960 votes to Hassan’s 1,231).

Ongoing investigations

Separately, Hamtramck is facing an active Michigan State Police investigation into whether two other councilmen meet the residency requirements under the city charter: Muhith Mahmood, who is running for mayor in the November election after advancing from the August 4 primary, and Abu Musa, seeking re-election after topping the primary in the race for three Council seats.

Another investigation, involving the FBI, targets City Manager Max Garbarino, Police Chief Jamil Al-Taheri and another officer over allegations of corruption, misconduct and abuse of authority, among other accusations. All three officials are currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.