Top Takeaways:
- Two brothers who owned All American Tobacco were shot and killed at their Florida offices on Jan. 12, police said.
- Police identified the alleged shooter as Nesar Dawla, who later died by suicide after fleeing the scene.
- Authorities tied the incident to a separate fraud case involving Dawla’s brother, a former employee who pleaded guilty.
Two brothers who owned one of the U.S. cigar industry’s largest import and logistics firms were shot and killed on January 12 at their company’s Boynton Beach, Florida, offices, in an incident police say was linked to a multi-million-dollar fraud case involving a former employee.
Boynton Beach police said Charles Geragi, 67, and Richard Geragi, 72, owners of All American Tobacco, LLC (also associated with All-American Farms, Inc.), were fatally shot shortly before 4 p.m. at the company’s offices on High Ridge Road.
Police identified the alleged shooter as Nesar Dawla, 39, of West Palm Beach, and said he fled the scene in a white Cadillac SUV. Less than an hour later, officers located the vehicle following a citizen tip, according to Charlie Minato of halfwheel, which first reported the story. Police said Dawla refused to stop, and during the subsequent events he shot himself; the SUV later crashed into a tree.
Authorities said the two men were targeted during a meeting arranged to discuss recovering funds tied to a fraud investigation involving Dawla’s brother, Sadman Dawla, a former employee who has pleaded guilty in a separate criminal case.
Boynton Beach police said Sadman Dawla was previously investigated in connection with the alleged theft of more than $5.5 million from the business and is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to multiple felony counts. Police said Nesar Dawla was investigated in the fraud case but was not charged.
According to the arrest report, Sadman Dawla admitted to writing unauthorized company checks totaling more than $5.5 million. He claimed he had a gambling problem and was spending the money at a local casino.
All American Tobacco is a major importer and logistics operator for handmade cigars, handling the movement of product into the U.S. from factories in Central and Latin America and coordinating customs clearance and delivery to brand warehouses, according to industry reporting.
