Queens woman found guilty of participating in kidnapping for revenge following TikTok feud.

A woman from Queens, New York, has been convicted for her role in a violent kidnapping incident tied to a long-standing feud within her Bangladeshi community. On June 26, a federal jury found Sultana Razia, 40, guilty, alongside co-defendant Syed Rubel Ahmed, of participating in the brutal abduction and battery of Mubarak Dewan. This incident occurred on March 27, 2023, when Dewan was approached and taken against his will after returning home from a local takeout restaurant.

While Razia did not participate directly in the abduction—allegedly carried out by Abu Chowdhury, a local supermarket owner and leader of a suspected kidnapping ring—she actively engaged in the humiliation and assault of Dewan. According to federal prosecutors, both Razia and Ahmed were complicit during Dewan’s harrowing hours, wherein they drove him through various areas of Queens while he was beaten, drugged, and subsequently stripped of his clothing. Disturbingly, Razia filmed the ordeal on TikTok, posting footage of Dewan’s nakedness accompanied by flippant captions, which drew widespread attention on social media.

The case has received scrutiny not only for its violent nature but also due to the online feud between Razia and Dewan, which reportedly began when Dewan accused Razia’s family of embezzling over ,000. The toxic dynamics escalated, leading to days of heated online exchanges that culminated in the physical attack. Testimony revealed that the conflict had attracted attention from a significant digital audience, including a TikTok influencer with over 100,000 followers who had been observing the dramatic exchanges.

Following the jury’s decision, prosecutors petitioned Judge Nina Morrison in the Brooklyn Federal Court to detain Razia and Ahmed without bail, citing the severity of their actions. However, the judge has postponed her ruling on the matter until a further hearing scheduled for July 23, leaving Razia on a bail of ,000, while Ahmed’s bail is set at 0,000.

This trial marks the second of three related proceedings concerning Chowdhury, who has been implicated in orchestrating a series of violent retaliatory kidnappings in the area. Chowdhury’s wife, Iffat Lubna, was previously convicted for her involvement, while Chowdhury himself is due to stand trial later this year.

Razia’s defense argued that she acted out of a context of harassment and persistent threats from Dewan, claiming her actions stemmed from a motivation to confront someone she perceived as a tormentor. Nevertheless, prosecutors maintained that her presence and actions during the incident clearly indicated her complicity in a calculated act of vengeance. The case underscores the intersections of digital culture, community loyalty, and the troubling realities of violence that can emerge from online conflicts.