---
category: BCCI Scandal
summary: William von Raab was the U.S.
tags:
- Person
- BCCI
- Banker
- CIA
---

William von Raab was the [U.S. Customs](/organizations/us-customs/) Commissioner.[^1]

He was involved in the [Hashemi sting](/events/hashemi-sting/) operation, which was designed to entrap individuals connected with [Israeli](/places/israel/) intelligence arms sales to [Iran](/places/iran/).[^2]

Von Raab, along with [Rudolph Giuliani](/people/rudolph-giuliani/), gave joint TV interviews on April 22, 1986, announcing the arrest of a "huge ring of terrorists" and "Merchants of Death" who were supposedly about to sell arms worth a billion dollars to [Iran](/places/iran/). [Ari Ben-Menashe](/people/ari-ben-menashe/) claims that von Raab and his associates had created the crime themselves.[^2]

### Role in BCCI Scandal

Von Raab headed the agency during the Tampa money-laundering investigations involving the [BCCI](/organizations/bank-of-credit-and-commerce-international/).[^1] He stated that the C-Chase sting operation, which led to the arrest of several BCCI bankers, was the most important money-laundering case in history.[^3]

After BCCI's Tampa conviction, von Raab thought the case was "enormously meaningful" and announced it publicly. He was told by his superiors to dampen his public enthusiasm.[^4] He later testified before the [Kerry](/people/john-kerry/) subcommittee that the [Department of Justice](/organizations/department-of-justice/) had denied knowledge of the Ali Mirza tapes, which contained crucial information about BCCI's activities.[^5]

[^1]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 11.
[^2]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
[^3]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 25.
[^4]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 389.
[^5]: Beaty, Jonathan and Gwynne, S. C. *The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI*. New York: Random House, 1993, p. 54.