A green taxi driver who had been on the job for about a week has been accused of raping a woman he picked up in Brooklyn, then driving off with her purse, according to a criminal complaint.
Esa Alusaimi was arrested on rape, criminal sex abuse, kidnapping and larceny charges after the attack just after midnight Sunday, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Brooklyn district attorney’s office.
The woman hailed Alusaimi's green cab somewhere in Brooklyn. At some point during the ride, the cab driver allegedly climbed over the front seat and forced her to perform sexual acts, the complaint says.
The woman got out of the cab after the attack and the driver sped off with her purse still inside the vehicle, the complaint alleges.
At about the same time police received the woman's 911 call, Alusaimi was pulled over for running a red light. He matched the suspect description and was arrested, police said.
Alusaimi’s brother told NBC 4 New York that the man had moved to New York City from the Middle East two months ago and had been driving a green cab for less than a week when the woman was allegedly raped.
"I don't believe he did this," said Sam Alusaimi. "I don't believe it, he is a good guy. I know he is not going to do this."
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The Taxi and Limousine Commission said that Alusaimi’s probationary driver-for-hire license has been suspended while authorities investigate the attack.
The cab believed to be involved in the attack was impounded from a Carroll Gardens intersection Tuesday with a boot around one wheel.
An attorney for Alusaimi did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Bail for Alusaimi has been set at $100,000.
