International
Nigerian socialite Darlington arrested weeks before wedding over fraud
Nigerian socialite Darlington arrested weeks before wedding over fraud
A 47-year-old Nigerian, Darlington Akporugo has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy for a romance scheme that targeted victims across the United States, many of whom were elderly, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced.
Akporugo, who was arrested a month before his wedding, admitted to being a central figure in a long-running romance scam that defrauded victims from Chicago to Kentucky.
Working with accomplices, he used online relationships to manipulate victims into sending money to bank accounts under his control.
To further the scheme, Akporugo and his co-conspirators used fake identities to connect with victims on social media, gaining their trust before persuading them to invest in fictitious businesses or provide financial assistance for fabricated emergencies.
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As part of his plea, Akporugo acknowledged approaching victims primarily through social media platforms like Facebook and directing them to send funds to either his accounts or those of his associates. The money was often transferred overseas.
Beyond collecting cash and wire transfers, Akporugo also admitted to convincing victims to open lines of credit in his name and, in at least one case, purchase a luxury vehicle for his personal use.
Authorities identified over 25 victims, most of whom were retired or elderly, during the multi-year investigation. The fraudulent operation resulted in losses exceeding $3 million.
“As we unfortunately have seen, victims of romance scams suffer tremendous financial loss, sometimes amounting to their entire life savings,” said Ganjei. “Those who fall prey to such fraudsters are often too embarrassed to come forward. However, we encourage victims to report these crimes, as their stories may help prevent future victimization.”
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge is set to sentence Akporugo on June 6. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
He remains in custody pending the hearing
Nigerian socialite Darlington arrested weeks before wedding over fraud
International
Titanic: Found ladies watch for auction at £50,000
Titanic: Found ladies watch for auction at £50,000
A lady’s pocket watch discovered among the belongings of one of the passengers who drowned on the Titanic’s doomed maiden voyage could fetch up to 50,000 euros (66,000 dollars) at auction.
Hans Christensen Givard, a 27-year-old Danish second-class passenger, was one of 1,500 people killed when the ship collided with an iceberg in 1912.
Givard was heading to the United States with two other companions who died in the catastrophe.
The watch was discovered when Givard’s body was recovered from the North Atlantic, and he was buried in Halifax, Canada.
The pockets contained a savings book, keys, some cash in a wallet, a silver watch, a compass, and a passport.
The gold ladies’ pocket watch, which showed signs of saltwater corrosion, was also retrieved.
All of his goods were restored to his brother in Denmark, and his relatives are now selling the watch.
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The tragic incident of Givard led curator Jesper Hjermind and his niece, journalist and U.S. resident Mette Hjermind McCall, to publish the book Titanic, De Danske Fortaellinger (Titanic, The Danish Stories), which mentions the pocket watch.
Claes Goran Wetterholm, the world’s greatest specialist on the Scandinavian aspect of the Titanic tale, also showed it in Copenhagen in 2012.
The watch will be auctioned on April 26 by Henry Aldridge and Son in Devizes, Wiltshire.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said, “This piece is documented in the official list of Hans’s effects compiled by the authorities in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the weeks after the Titanic disaster and has remained in his family ever since.
“It was one of the centrepieces of the display of Titanic memorabilia in the Tivoli in Copenhagen in 2012, which illustrates its importance.
“The watch’s movement is frozen in time at the moment the cold North Atlantic waters consumed not only its owner but the most famous ocean liner of all time, Titanic, on April 15, 1912,” he added.
Titanic: Found ladies watch for auction at £50,000
International
US judge stops Trump move to revoke 500,000 immigrants’ legal status
US judge stops Trump move to revoke 500,000 immigrants’ legal status
A federal judge on Monday blocked US President Donald Trump’s administration from quickly revoking the legal status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti.
The ruling by District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston is the latest order against Trump’s rapid push to carry out mass deportations, particularly targeting Latin Americans.
In March, the administration said it was moving to revoke the legal status of some 532,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans who came to the United States under a “parole” program initially launched by former president Joe Biden in October 2022.
“The court grants emergency relief staying the Termination of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans,” Talwani wrote in her order.
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The parole program allowed entry to the United States for two years for up to 30,000 migrants per month from the four countries, which have grim human rights records.
In her order, Talwani said the Trump administration had acted on a flawed interpretation of immigration law, with expedited removal applicable to non-citizens entering the United States illegally, but not those authorized to be in the country, such as through the parole program.
Under Trump’s revocation, the immigrants would have lost their legal protection effective April 24, just 30 days after the Department of Homeland Security published its order in the Federal Register.
Trump has vowed to deport “millions” of undocumented migrants in his second term, after running an election campaign that focused on illegal immigration.
Among other measures, he has invoked rare wartime legislation to fly hundreds of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador, which is imprisoning the migrants.
US judge stops Trump move to revoke 500,000 immigrants’ legal status
AFP
International
5 things to do after overstaying your US visa
5 things to do after overstaying your US visa
Migration to the US does not totally translate to a long-time staying immunity as it is usually dependent on the number of months or years that your visa carried upon its issuance to you.
Hence, many individuals do not take cognizance of their visas’ possible expiry dates. And when they eventually do be in the know that their visas have expired, they try to evade relevant authorities that come for them, who do not usually have a choice but to deport them to their actual countries.
However, it is advisable that you do not act like these individuals. There are certain steps you can take when your visa expires so as to avoid risk of deportation. Below are some of them:
What to do when you overstay your US visa
1. Beware of your overstay status
More often than not, overstaying in the United States does not totally result in a severe punishment. When your visa expires and you do not have the power to renew or something, be wary of how long you overstay.
For instance, if your overstaying is less than 180 days, you may escape severe punishments if you leave voluntarily. However, you might face riskier measures if you overstay for more than 180 days. These risks include slapping you with a three to six years re-entry ban.
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2. Consult a legal immigration attorney
By seeking a legal counsel immediately, you can escape trouble in the US when you overstay your visit there. A legal counsel would look into your case, guide you to renewal requirements and eventually represent you in the court if need be.
3. Change your visit status
Another measure you can take when you overstay your visit in the United States is to renew your status of stay immediately. When you are given the opportunity to renew it, you can tender very reasonable reasons as to why you want to stay and renew such as furthering education, seeking medical treatments and others.
If possible, you can try change your status totally such that you would be enabled to stay there permanently.
4. Cooperate with relevant authorities
When you overstay your visit in the United States, and you are being contacted for questions or interrogations, do not hesitate to answer the calls. Try to let your legal counsel come in, apply for the cancellation of removal and stay calm.
5. Apply for protective measures
You can apply for protective stay measures such as applying for asylum because your stay in your home country might be risky for you probably because of war, racism and other issues bordering humanity. You can also explore Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which would make the American immigration authorities consider some reliefs for you.
5 things to do after overstaying your US visa
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