EFCC arraigns American for exploiting Nigerians seeking green card
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned an American, Marco Ramirez for allegedly defrauding two Nigerians in need of green card.
Ramirez, was arraigned before a Lagos state special offences court on Monday.
According to the EFCC, the defendant defrauded two other Nigerians, Gabriel Edeoghon and Oludare Talabi, of $388,838.
The EFCC prosecutor, Vera Aigboje, told the court that Ramirez committed the offences between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos.
She said, “From May 22 to July 26, 2013, Ramirez on three occasions received a total of $291,290 from Edeoghon, and from February 28, 2014, to April 17, 2014, Ramirez on six occasions received $97,549 from Talabi.
“He falsely represented to the victims that the funds were investments in his companies through the Employment-based Fifth Preference in the United States of America Investor Programme. Ramirez also falsely informed them that their investments would qualify them for the USA green card.”
According to Aigboje, the offences contravene Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.
Following the arraignment, Ramirez’s counsel, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), requested that he should be allowed to enjoy the bail he was granted by Justice Josephine Oyefeso in 2017.
Justice Dada obliged the request and ordered that the Certified True Copy of Justice Oyefeso’s bail ruling be properly presented before the court.
The Punch reports that Justice Dada adjourned the case till October 8 and October 10 for the continuation of trial.
