American Citizen Sent To Prison Over Alleged $565,000 Green Card Fraud
Justice Josephine Oyefeso of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja Thursday remanded an American citizen, Marco Antonio Ramirez in prison for allegedly defrauding three Nigerians of the sum of $565,000 under the false pretence of facilitate an American Green Card for them.
Justice Oyefeso ordered that Ramirez be kept in the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons after he was arraigned before her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a sixteen count charge of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud.
The defendant who claimed to be the Managing Director of three companies, USA Now Plc, Eagleford Instalodge Group and USA Now Energy Capital Group, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
According to the EFCC prosecutor, Victor Aigboje, Ramirez committed the offences between February and August 2013 in Lagos.
The commission accused Ramirez of allegedly collecting $10,000 from one Olukayode Sodimu under the pretext that the money was meant to facilitate an American Green Card with the US Immigration Services.
The EFCC also alleged that the American fraudulently obtaining the sum of $10,000 from one Abubakar Umar through a fictitious investment program in the US in order for the latter to be eligible for a US green card.
Ramirez was also accused by the EFCC of also collecting $545,000 from one Ambassador Godson Echejue under the pretext that the money was meant for investing in his company Eagle Ford Limited in order to facilitate procuring of a US green card.
The EFCC prosecutor however prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody, pending trial.
Ramirez’s counsel, Chukwudi Maduka however asked the court to remand his client in EFCC custody as against Ikoyi or Kirikiri Prisons.
He further argued that they had just received the charge and that they needed time to file a bail application, while also notifying the court that Ramirez was already on administrative bail in the EFCC Abuja office where he is also facing fraud charges.
The EFCC prosecutor however informed the court that they were out of bed space at the EFCC detention center.
In her ruling, Justice Josephine Oyefeso remanded the defendant in Kirikiri prisons and adjourned the matter till July 3 for hearing of the bail application.
