NJ victim of ‘Instagram kidnapping’ now accused of accepting a bribe
A Wayne man who said he was kidnapped by a group linked to an outraged Instagram influencer is now accused of asking for a $ 200,000 bribe to change his story.
Amjad Mashal, 29, initially reported his own kidnapping in March.
Several months later, he called the Bergen County District Attorney’s Office and said he wanted to drop charges against several people, according to a criminal complaint in the new case.
Jebara Igbara, also known on social media as “Jay Manzini”, was arrested and charged with kidnapping and related offenses last spring, along with several others.
The victim had been physically assaulted, threatened with a machete and whipped with a rope-shaped object, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella previously said.
Igbara’s wife, 21, Joumana Danoun, of Paterson, was then charged in July with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, witness tampering and bribery.
Mashal and Danoun had exchanged text messages, promising him a total of $ 200,000 for modifying his affidavit, Musella announced Friday.
While searching for Mashal’s business in Clifton, law enforcement also recovered the prescription drug Adderall.
Mashal has been charged with bribery and drug possession, two third degree counts.
Igbara also faces federal charges, resulting from a scheme in which prosecutors claim he scammed at least $ 2.5 million worth of Bitcoin from people, by lying about sending electronic money transfers. in exchange for cryptocurrency.
In fact, he never sent the money, federal prosecutors said.
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