abstract:The surname Alavi (often spelled as Alvi) () signifies ancestry from Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (), the fourth Caliph of Sunni Islam and the first Imam in Shia Islam. Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad and titled Amir al-Mu'minin () (Commander of the Faithful) by his followers.
Among the assets eyed by the prosecutors are several American mosques and a New York skyscraper owned by the Alavi Foundation and the Assa Corporation.
VOA: standard.2009.11.15
The Alavi foundation disputes the allegations, but says it is cooperating with investigators.
VOA: standard.2009.11.15
The NYPD Intelligence Division also played a role during the initial stages of the Alavi investigation.