Lagos court jails American businessman 74 years for $1.2m visa scam – Newstrends
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Lagos court jails American businessman 74 years for $1.2m visa scam

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Lagos court jails American businessman 74 years for $1.2m visa scam

One Marco Antonio Ramirez, an American businessman, has been sentenced to 74 years imprisonment in Lagos State for fraudulent activities.

Ramirez was convicted and sentenced by the Special Offences Court, in Ikeja, on Tuesday, for defrauding victims of $1.2m, through an EB-5 visa scam and an additional $368,698.24, in fraud.

He was convicted by Justice Mojisola Dada who found him guilty on two separate consolidated charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Dada held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

On the first charge, Ramirez was sentenced to eight years each on counts one to six, and 10 years each on counts seven and eight.

On the second charge, he received 10 years each on counts one to 12 for obtaining money by false pretence, and 10 years each on counts 13 to 16 for stealing.

The EFCC said Ramirez and his companies, USA Now LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP, and USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, obtained the said money from their victims by promising them access to the Employment-Based Fifth Preference United States of America Investor Programme, which would qualify them to be eligible for the issuance of USA Green Card and permanent residency, but that the convict did not fulfil his promise.

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Instead of making good of his promises, Ramirez converted the funds for his personal use.

Dada, in her judgment, held that “The convict dishonestly converted the money meant for investments to his personal use.

“The prosecution has successfully proved that the promises made to the victims were false, and the funds obtained were under fraudulent pretences,” she said.

The EFCC said Ramirez’s fraudulent activities took place in 2013, noting that one of the victims, Godson Echegile, lost $545,000 to Ramirez under the false pretext that it was a processing fee for his investment, which would qualify him for a U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 programme.

He was initially arraigned on 12 counts bordering on fraud and he pleaded not guilty. Later, the EFCC amended the charge and Ramirez was re-arraigned on 16 counts on June 24, 2022.

The American was said to have committed the offences on February 5 2013 and April 18, 2013, in Lagos.

When the trial commenced, the prosecution counsel, M.S. Owede, who led Samuel Daji, tendered several documentary evidence and called witnesses to prove the allegations against him and he was cross-examined by the defence counsel, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN).

The case suffered several adjournments at the stage of adoption of final written addresses before counsel in the suit eventually adopted their final addresses on May 8, 2024, and the judge adjourned for judgment.

However, while delivering judgment on Tuesday, Dada found Ramirez guilty as charged and sentenced him to 10 years each on counts one to 12 bordering on obtaining by false pretence, and 10 years each on counts 13 to 16 bordering on stealing.

The judge also found him guilty on another separate amended nine-count charge bordering on $368,698.24 fraud.

In a separate case, Ramirez was found guilty of defrauding another victim, Gabriel Ogie Edeoghon, for $250,000 on July 26, 2013.

He falsely claimed that the money was for an investment in the USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, which would make Edeoghon eligible for a U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 visa programme.

Ramirez received additional sentences of eight years each on counts one to six and 10 years each on counts seven and eight for this particular fraud

Lagos court jails American businessman 74 years for $1.2m visa scam

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Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

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Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

Authorities in Ebonyi State have recovered the remains of a man and his son who were found dead under unclear circumstances in the Ebebe Junction area of Abakaliki.

State Police Command spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the evacuation to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

Ukandu said the deceased, identified as Mr. Light Nwodor and his son Miracle, were found lifeless, prompting swift action by officers in the area.

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“When I was called by an individual about the incident, I quickly called the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area,” he said.”They swung into action and the dead bodies have been evacuated.“The police have launched investigation into the matter.”The command will definitely inform the general public on completion of investigation.“Right now, nobody knows what caused their deaths,” he added.

He also noted that no updates had been received from the DPO regarding any arrests linked to the case.

Initial unconfirmed reports circulating online suggested that the deaths may have resulted from eating food prepared by a woman who is allegedly now at large.

Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

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Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

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Ebonyi State Police Spokesperson, DSP Joshua Ukandu

Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

One person has been shot dead, two injured and many people missing in Ndiagu Amagu, Ikwo in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State following a leadership tussle. The deceased, Nwoyika Ugbaloke and Thomas Ngaragu were reportedly attacked by some gunmen, but Ugbaloke couldn’t survive the attack.

Many people are said to be missing in the attack.

It was gathered that trouble started when a faction in the community imposed N40, 000 level on all the adults in Nduche Umuomara in the community, which did not go down well with another faction in the area.

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It was also gathered that the faction that imposed the N40,000 levy on the adults was also selling lands belonging to the faction that opposed the levy.

A son of the deceased, Nwoyika Kingsley Emeka, lamented the killing of his father and called for arrest of his killers. He said the killers were moving freely in the community, sealing people’s farmlands with palm fronds and warning them never to set their feet on the farms until the fines were paid.

He alleged that the perpetrators were being protected by some highly placed persons in the community.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu said he had not received any report on the incident.

Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

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EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

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EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared eight suspects wanted in connection with the alleged loss of approximately N1.3trillion to Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).

Apart from two of the suspects based in Ibadan, the rest six were said to be from Idimu-Egbeda Road in Lagos.

But the EFCC has held on to two suspects it earlier arrested.

According to a notice by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Dele Oyewale, all the suspects are wanted for “fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).”

The first set of suspects, who are Nigerians, include, Oloyede, Emmanuel Uko, Adefowora Oluwanishola and Adefowora Abiodun Olaonipekun.

The foreigners are Johnson Okiroh Otieno, Israel Mbaluka, Joseph Michiro Kabera and Serah Michiro.

The Adefoworas and Michiros are suspected to be couples.

The statement described the second set of suspects as “foreign accomplices wanted by the EFCC. “

The statement added: “The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear above are suspected foreign accomplices wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).

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“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, llorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”

Asked about those two earlier arrested, a source in EFCC said: “They are still in custody. “

The Director-General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Emomotimi Agama has said CBEX is unregistered with it.

He said the commission cannot be of help to the victims.

He said: “There is nothing the commission can do”.

“We are worried that this went on for long without anyone drawing our attention to it. That is why we are doing more enlightenment and asking people to come forward to report this for early detection.”

SEC said preliminary investigations revealed that  CBEX, which also operates under the corporate identity of ST Technologies International Ltd, Smart Treasure/Super Technology, had held itself out as a digital asset-trading platform, offering high returns to investors in Nigeria.

It said: “The Commission hereby clarifies that neither CBEX nor its affiliates were granted registration by the Commission at any time to operate as a Digital Assets Exchange, solicit investments from the public or perform any other function within the Nigerian capital market.”

 

EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

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