Abu Chowdhury, a 36-year-old Queens supermarket owner who fancied himself the “King of New York,” was convicted on Thursday of orchestrating a string of bizarre revenge kidnappings within his Bangladeshi community, federal officials said. A Brooklyn Federal Court jury reached the verdict after needing just two hours of deliberation following a two-week trial.
Trial Evidence and Co-Conspirator Testimony
Jurors reviewed video evidence from all three abductions committed by Chowdhury and his cohorts, alongside testimony from terrified victims and two accomplices who chose to cooperate with the government. Prosecutors detailed how Chowdhury, who co-owns the BD Fresh Supermarket in Jamaica, Queens, targeted individuals to burnish his reputation and to defend the honor of his girlfriend-now-wife, Iffat Lubna. Lubna was convicted in a separate trial in April. During closing arguments on Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Tannen stated that Chowdhury was “furious about what he viewed about a hit to his reputation” and wanted to show his community that he was the “King of New York.” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella characterized the acts as “brutal, senseless, and cannot be tolerated in a civilized society.”
Details of the Abductions and Torture
The first victim was targeted after getting into a years-long TikTok feud with a 41-year-old Queens resident and challenging Chowdhury to a fight, boasting that the supermarket owner “didn’t own the streets.” On March 27, 2023, Chowdhury and accomplice Ruhel Choudhury ambushed the victim at 181st St. and Hillside Ave. in Jamaica, forcing him into a Honda SUV for a rough, hours-long ride. Jurors viewed a video taken by Chowdhury showing the victim standing naked in front of a garage before the kidnappers gave him water laced with a sedative and left him at a local hospital with multiple injuries. Chowdhury’s next two targets were kidnapped and tortured for disrespecting Lubna. One victim had messaged Lubna on Microsoft Teams on May 10, 2023, during an online English-as-a-second-language class, comparing her to “a bland mashed potato” that could be turned into “a delicious potato chop… a mouthwatering Kacchi biryani” by an expert chef. Lubna, reacting to the messages, was recorded saying, “I want to see his dead body.” Setting a trap, Lubna agreed to a date but stood him up, allowing Chowdhury and an accomplice to ambush the victim on May 11 as he walked home. They forced him into a minivan where Lubna was sitting, drove him around Queens, beat him with a rod, stomped him, used his bank card to withdraw $1,000, and demanded a ransom from his father before taking him to the Corona Hotel in Long Island City, where Chowdhury sexually assaulted him with a metal rod, according to prosecutors.
Did You Know? Abu Chowdhury co-owns the BD Fresh Supermarket located in Jamaica, Queens, and utilized an online English-as-a-second-language class on Microsoft Teams as the initial contact point where one of his victims messaged his then-girlfriend, Iffat Lubna.
Convictions and Legal Status
Alongside Chowdhury’s conviction on three counts each of kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap, prosecutors secured convictions against accomplices Syed Ruhel Ahmed, 46, Shahed Alom, 32, and Ruhel Choudhry, 36. Two other members of the kidnapping ring turned government cooperators. While the charges against Chowdhury carry a life sentence, officials noted he realistically faces decades behind bars. District Judge Morrison allowed Chowdhury to remain free under house arrest on a $250,000 bond over prosecutors’ objections, pending a Friday hearing to determine if the bond should be revoked.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific charges was Abu Chowdhury found guilty of?
A Brooklyn Federal Court jury found Abu Chowdhury guilty of three counts of kidnapping and three counts of conspiracy to kidnap.
How long did the jury deliberate during the trial?
The jury needed just two hours to reach its verdict during the two-week trial.
What were the circumstances surrounding the second victim’s targeting?
The victim messaged Iffat Lubna on Microsoft Teams during an online English-as-a-second-language class on May 10, 2023, making pick-up remarks comparing her to a bland potato that could become a South Asian dish, prompting Chowdhury and Lubna to set a trap and ambush him the next day.
What sentence could Abu Chowdhury face following his conviction on these federal charges?
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