Small retail outlet owner is sentenced to prison for money laundering, while former team members speak out about his ‘manipulative’ tactics

Mohammed Hoosen, owner of the small and ambitious entertainment channel The Streamr, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to money laundering.

His conviction revealed his role in a criminal scheme involving more than £90,000 in unexplained deposits funneled through multiple bank accounts linked to convicted drug trafficker Leroy McHarrie and an organized crime network.

Although his website was not involved in criminal activity, Hoosen’s conviction has prompted several former team members to share disturbing stories about their work under his leadership.

The Streamr was a smaller outlet with a loyal following, mainly focused on entertainment news and mainly active on Twitter.

Working there provided many former team members with valuable connections and friendships in the industry.

However, as the details of Hoosen’s criminal prosecution emerged, so did stories of a tense and controlling work culture that many endured under his leadership.

One former staff One member reflected on their experiences and shared that while they valued the friendships and opportunities they gained at the outlet, their time there “did not come without a cost.”

They described how they and their team were “often scolded for minor mistakes, for not being available 24 hours a day or simply asking questions.”

They added: “While I don’t want to speak on behalf of others, I’ve often been yelled at for pointing out issues with the site and if they couldn’t be replicated then they simply didn’t exist.”

The experience, they noted, “took away my love of writing,” although they are now “working to find that spark that had gone out.”

Another one exThe staff member echoed similar sentiments, describing their time as “a mixed bag” that ultimately became untenable.

They explained that their anxiety while working there was often “crippling,” to the point where they were “afraid to even look at (their) notifications.”

They explained that “the way people are treated on this website disgusts me. If you just point out an error on the site you will get a shout out and of course a flood of private messages because everything is taken personally.”

“We were disrespected as editors and often bulldozed,” she added.

Reflecting on their time, they said: “If you liked, commented on, reposted or followed any of them, you would get a text within minutes to delete it or unfollow the people he didn’t like. “

Another former writer offered more insight inside Hoosen’s behavior, describing him as a “manipulative narcissist” who often discouraged staff from engaging with certain industry contacts based on personal grudges.

He shared, “If I’ve been following you out of the blue for the past two months, chances are there’s a reason for it! He has kept many of us from contacting you, often because of his own personal problems.”

This caused “a lot of anxiety” for him, who initially accepted these restrictions, assuming they were part of working in the industry.

Reflecting on the experience, he noted, “Narcissists have a tendency to get into your head and make you see things the way they see them. You become a pawn in their game.”

“It feels terrible to come out of that game and think, ‘Why did I let this happen to me?’ But at that moment you are paralyzed.”

The former film editor went on to share specific examples of abuse, saying: “I have seen insults and anger, both against me and others. He generally lacked empathy and could rarely admit that he was wrong in his mistreatment of others. When he did, it was followed by a private message ranting about it.”

“He is a manipulative narcissist with a penchant for using people to serve both his professional and personal agenda.”

Former editor-in-chief Josh Martin-Jones, who worked closely with Hoosen, described an initially positive working relationship that later soured as Hoosen’s behavior became increasingly controlling.

Martin-Jones said Hoosen would dictate who staff could interact with or follow on social media, saying: “It wasn’t particularly nice to be told who to follow and who not to, and to see the involvement with certain individuals in our shared journalism room.”

Despite being disloyal to the site, Martin-Jones admitted that the environment took a toll on his mental health, saying: “There were times when I was belittled, felt so small and stupid, and did things that people should do. doesn’t have to be that way.”

These revelations paint a picture of a workplace that became restrictive and mentally exhausting under Hoosen’s leadership.

Although The Streamr was a relatively small platform with a niche audience, the stories of former staff highlight the profound impact toxic leadership can have on a team.

As Hoosen serves his sentence, former team members are finding solidarity in sharing their experiences and can finally speak openly about what they endured.

Featured image: Mo Hoosen / Isle of Man Constabulary