Jackson Heights victim allegedly lured to a meeting, held captive and targeted for a $20,000 ransom
Husneara Choudhury:
— What appeared to be a routine meeting in Jackson Heights turned into a violent kidnapping, federal prosecutors said. A Queens man has now been convicted in connection with that case and two other violent kidnappings across the borough.
A federal jury found 36-year-old Abu Chowdhury of Jamaica, Queens, guilty of three kidnappings and three kidnapping conspiracies following a two-week trial in Brooklyn.
The crimes occurred between March 27 and May 11, 2023, in Jamaica, Long Island City and Jackson Heights, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
In the Jackson Heights case, prosecutors said the victim went to the area near 72nd Street and Broadway believing he was meeting a woman. He was allegedly forced into a minivan, taken to a hotel and assaulted. His father was then allegedly threatened with a $20,000 ransom demand.
The victim was held for several days before being left at an abandoned residence. He eventually escaped and received medical treatment for serious injuries.
Other defendants connected to the kidnapping cases have also been convicted or pleaded guilty.
Chowdhury faces a potential sentence of up to life in prison. His sentencing has not yet been held.
The investigation involved the FBI and NYPD, federal authorities said.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New York
