AMERICAN ARRAIGNED OVER $0.8 MILLION GREEN CARD PROCUREMENT FRAUD

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Emmanuel Thomas l Thursday, June 22, 2017

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – An American citizen, Marco Antonio Ramirez was this morning arraigned before a Lagos High court sitting in Ikeja for American Greeen Card procurement fraud.




Mr Marco who is the manager of USANOW LMC, Eagle Ford Instalology group LP and UUSA Energy capital group LP, was alleged to have obtained a total sum of $824,700 from one Ambassador Godson Echiejile, Abubakar Umar Sodiq and Olukayode Sodimu at different times from 8th march, 2012 till 20th June, 2013 with the intent to defraud under the pretence of investment into his company, Eagle Ford Instalology Group LP, under the employment base 5 investor programme of the United states citizenship and immigration service, with the aim of granting them America green card.

The prosecuting counsel, V.O Aluje told the court that the offences of the defendant contravened section 12 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of Nigeria, 2006.

She further stated that the defendant’s companies were copied as defendants in the charge but were not available or represented in court as at the time of arraignment and therefore invoked section 357 where a plea of “Not guilty” would be recorded for an unrepresented party in a matter.

Mr Marco pleaded Not guilty to all 16 charges preferred against him which ranged from $5,000 to $500,000 transactions.

The prosecution informed the court that he had received an information dated 22nd May, 2016 that could further prove the case and had served it on the defendant to which the defense counsel, Chukwudi Maduka claimed to have had trouble reading.

He prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody, pending trial. The defense counsel argued that he had just received the charge and that since Mr Marco’s remand in EFCC custody, they had not been served the charge sheet so they sought time to file a bail application as he was already on the EFCC’s bail in Abuja where his international passport was submitted and all other bail conditions fulfilled.

Justice Josephine Oyefeso, ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody as against the defense counsel’s proposed EFCC facility. The matter was adjourned till 3rd July, 2017 for hearing of bail application.

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