GREEN CARD SCAM: AMERICAN MAN SENT TO KIRIKIRI PRISON

An Ikeja High Court on Thursday remanded an American citizen, Marco Ramirez, at Kirikiri Maximum Prison for allegedly defrauding three Nigerians in a $ 565,000  green card and investment scam.


Mr. Ramirez was remanded following his not-guilty plea to a 16-count charge of obtaining money under false presences.

He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The EFCC prosecutor, V. O. Aigboje, alleged that the accused, managing director of three companies – USA Now Plc., Eagleford Instalodge Group and USA Now Capital Group – committed the offences between February 2013 and August 2013.

Mr. Aigboje said Mr. Ramirez fraudulently received 545,000 dollars from Godson Echejue to invest in his company, Eagleford Instalodge Group, in order to procure an American green card (residence permit) for him (Echejue).

He also allegedly received 10,000 dollars from Abubakar Umar through a non-existent investment programme in the U.S., which was billed to make Mr. Umar eligible to obtain an American passport.

The EFCC also accused Mr. Ramirez of illegally receiving 10,000 dollars from one Olukayode Sodimu under the pretext that the funds were facilitation fees with the American Immigration Services for an American green card.

After Mr. Ramirez took his plea, Mr. Aigboje requested that he be taken from the custody of EFCC to prison custody.

“There are no bed spaces available in the commission. I apply that the defendant be remanded in prison custody,” she said.

Chukwudi Maduka, the defence counsel, in his submission, requested that Mr. Ramirez be kept in the custody of EFCC and not in the custody of the Nigerian Prison Service.

“Ever since my client has been in the custody of the EFCC, we are just seeing this charge for the very first time today.

“He is already on EFCC bail in Abuja and his International passport has been forfeited as part of his bail conditions.

“We will like to file an application for his bail today.

“We pray that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the EFCC pending the time my Lord hears the bail application,” he said.

Justice Josephine Oyefeso, however, rejected Mr. Maduka’s request and ordered that Mr. Ramirez be remanded in prison.

“The proper place for remand is prison custody and I so order.

“The case is, hereby, adjourned to July 3 for hearing of the defendant’s bail application,” she said.

NAN

BEAUTY QUEEN ROTS IN JAIL OVER N7.5 MILLION FRAUD

Miss Asaigbo 2016, and an Accounting student of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Ugwu Joy, is currently languishing in jail.

From the glory of her office, she has descended and now dwells in gory Kirikiri prisons in Lagos, where she was remanded by a Yaba Magistrate court for alleged involvement in N7.5million fraud.
Police investigations revealed that she had been an alleged serial scammer, duping  innocent Nigerians through a visa racket and ponzi scheme. She landed in police net after series of complaints from some of her alleged victims.

Saturday Sun learnt that the embattled pageant winner had allegedly fleeced many 'clients', who, however, lacked the nerve to report her because they were either threatened or afraid of her touted status and influence, until one Jonathan Nwaogu and Anita Oby reported her in Lagos.

Joy had allegedly failed to fulfill a contract to help Jonathan secure a visa for which he reportedly paid N1m. She was said to have started evading her client and avoiding his calls after the payment. .
She also allegedly duped Oby N2m through a ponzi scheme called "Me and You". All went sour when one of the subscribers refused to pay and the organisation could not refund Oby's money. .

It was learnt that when she was first arrested in Enugu, the accused allegedly slapped a police officer, bragging about her connections. She was also said to have had N7.5m in her account then, but allegedly made massive withdrawals between the period she was temporarily released and rearrested, leaving only N400,000 balance. .
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Although the accused was granted bail, she was still in custody as at press time, as she could not meet the bail conditions.
(SunNews reports)