An interesting case that has caught the world’s attention is unfolding the South American country of Guyana. A wealthy family is fighting extradition to the United States. Azzrudin Mohamed and his father Nazar Mohamed are engaged in a hot legal battle against the Guyana and United States governments. The duo has claimed political victimization, but that is doubtful.

Not too long ago, starting as early as 2020, when the PPP/C won office from the APNU/AFC, and lasting till around 2024, Azzrudin Mohamed enjoyed a princely status in the small South American nation. His social media page, Team Mohamed’s, quickly gained traction and rose to hundreds of thousands of followers as he showed off his luxury vehicles, regal lifestyle, and acts of charity. He moved neck-to-neck and hand-in-hand with the PPP/C government. However, things hit a slowdown in mid-2023 when the US government warned the Guyanese government not to do business with the Mohameds due to ongoing criminal investigations. At that time, the Mohameds were named as principal investors in a multibillion-dollar Shore Base venture with Exxon Mobil. Although Exxon Mobil and the Guyana government did not address the media on the warning, the Mohameds pulled out of the project in October 2023 with Nazar Mohamed citing “religious reasons.”

The relationship between the Mohameds and the Guyana subsequently continued to sour as the Minister of Education and Azzrudin Mohamed traded words over his alleged unauthorized visits to schools to make donations. But it hit a climax in 2024 when the US Office of Foreign Assets Control announced that they have sanctioned the Mohameds for financial crimes including wire fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering amounting to nearly 50 million US dollars. A Florida court later indicted the Mohameds and an extradition request was formally made to the Guyana government.

Azzrudin Mohamed subsequently formed his own political party and entered politics, naming it the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Party. Although he did not win the September 2025 elections, he displaced the former opposition and garnered the second most votes in the country, making him the newly elected opposition leader.

As the extradition case pushes through Guyana’s legal system, the Mohameds have moved to the Caribbean Court of Justice to block the extradition. With the hearing scheduled for 21st of April 2026, things are looking dismal for the Mohameds. Here’s why.

Does Guyana have an extradition treaty with the United States?

Yes, Guyana does have an extradition treaty with the United States. However, it is not a direct, bilateral treaty. Instead, an old treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom from 1931 continues to govern extradition between the U.S. and Guyana today.

How the Treaty Works

This arrangement exists because Guyana is a former British colony. When Guyana gained independence in 1966, it adopted many existing legal frameworks, including this extradition treaty. The treaty’s provisions are now implemented through Guyana’s domestic Fugitive Offenders Act. The treaty is a fully operational part of Guyanese law. Recent high-profile cases, such as the extradition of Guyanese citizens to the U.S. on fraud and money laundering charges, confirm the treaty is actively used.

Recent Case Example

A recent case illustrates the treaty’s application. In 2025, the U.S. requested the extradition of two Guyanese businessmen (Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed) to face charges in a Florida court. The legal proceedings, including court challenges, were conducted under the framework of the 1931 U.S.-U.K. treaty,