An eye-catching three-story house on 36th Avenue in Astoria, painted pale yellow with scarlet trim and ornate metalwork, has drawn buyers and curiosity since it first appeared on the market. Marketed as “the most colorful home in Queens” and nicknamed “Château Couleur” by its listing broker, the property stood out amid the neighborhood’s muted brick Tudors. But prosecutors say the home’s bright exterior masks a darker history tied to a federal wire-fraud case that targeted members of New York’s Bangladeshi immigrant community, according to The New York Times.
Rashidun Bokhari, 59, pleaded guilty in 2023 to embezzling more than $1 million from community members who trusted him with real estate ventures, prosecutors say. His wife, Jasmin Bokhari, remains the listed owner of the Astoria home, which now sits under a lien tied to restitution. The couple built a reputation for flashy tastes—expensive cars, designer handbags, and a growing portfolio of properties—before the alleged scheme unraveled. The marketing materials described the home as a “A Custom-Designed Floral Fantasy,” and the exterior’s candy-colored look stood in stark contrast to the surrounding brick Tudors. The Times notes that the Bokharis’ pattern of buying, selling, and transferring properties across Queens helped obscure ownership while the funds moved through family networks.
In 2015, Bokhari approached Aslam Ansari, a Bangladeshi-American real estate investor, about a $4 million auction property in Long Island City. He proposed that they split a $200,000 down payment and ownership evenly, Ansari said. Ansari gave Bokhari close to $1 million, but no properties were purchased, and delays prompted investigations that uncovered forged documents and nonexistent deals. Ansari filed a civil suit in Queens Supreme Court in 2021; a year later, Bokhari was indicted in federal court. At the June 2024 sentencing, Bokhari acknowledged the harm his actions caused, telling the court that the victims were like family. Prosecutors say the stolen funds funded personal expenses, mortgages, and renovations on the Astoria property.
The case also involved other community members who believed Bokhari would help them acquire homes. Nazia Jamil and her mother, Aqsa Shams, gave him $191,000 after he promised to help them purchase a modest two-family home in Jamaica, Queens; they ultimately did not receive a home. The Times described a web of ownership transfers among Jasmin Bokhari, her sister-in-law Jubayda Aktar, and Tanny Fashion—an entity used in multiple real estate transactions—to obscure who controlled which properties. A forensic accountant cited by The Times described the transfers as “different pockets in the same pair of pants,” illustrating how ownership was shuffled to conceal the flow of funds.
The United States Attorney’s Office has since placed liens on both the Astoria and Jamaica properties totaling about $1.49 million, tied to restitution owed to victims. Jasmin Bokhari remains on the deed for the Astoria home, and she has not been charged criminally in connection with the case. The liens complicate sale proceedings and reduce the amount available to satisfy victims if the properties are sold at current prices. Bokhari is serving a federal sentence with a projected release in 2028. If the government enforces its lien, a substantial portion of any sale proceeds could go toward restitution rather than new ownership.
In statements to The Times, Ansari’s attorney, Neal Fellenbaum, said, “We allege that Rashidun has hidden the stolen money with houses controlled or supposedly owned by his family,” and noted that liens on the homes reflect the government’s view of the case. Ansari himself told The Times that the betrayal cut deep, saying, “They are with us more than any brother and sister.” Some victims have spoken about how trust within close-knit communities can be both a strength and a vulnerability when financial schemes arise.
The Times interviewed nine additional Bangladeshi New Yorkers who reported being defrauded by Bokhari in similar schemes, though most were reluctant to come forward publicly. “There are pros and cons to being in these enclaves,” said community organizer Rema Begum, highlighting the tension between shared language and the risk of exploitation in tight networks.
The Astoria house remains on the market, with the asking price reduced to $2.5 million in early September after an initial listing at $3 million. Its bright exterior, once celebrated in marketing materials as a “castle of color,” continues to draw attention in a neighborhood that blends immigrant history with rapid real estate turnover. If the sale proceeds at current prices, restitution payments could be prioritized, potentially leaving Jasmin Bokhari with a portion depending on ownership and the status of the liens. The lien on the property reflects the government’s continued efforts to recover funds for victims while the case moves through the courts.
As the legal process continues, the colorful façade of the Astoria home stands in quiet contrast to the underlying legal and financial footprints. Bokhari remains in federal custody, and prosecutors say the case illustrates how personal relationships—especially within close-knit immigrant communities—can intersect with complex real estate transactions in ways that can surprise, and hurt, many people. The story, unfolding in court filings, real estate records, and investigative reporting, continues to shape how buyers, sellers, and community leaders understand trust, ownership, and accountability in New York’s diverse neighborhoods.
