Kemisola Oye
A Lagos Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced an American citizen, Antonio Ramirez, to 74 years imprisonment following his conviction in a $1.2 million visa scam and a $368,698.24 fraud.
Justice Mojisola Dada found Ramirez guilty as charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on the two separate consolidated charges, holding that the prosecution proved its case against the convict beyond reasonable doubt.
On an amended nine counts charge, the judge sentenced him to eight years each on counts one to six and 10 years each on counts seven to eight.
On the other charge, he was sentenced to 10 years each on counts one to 12, bordering on obtaining by false pretence, and 10 years each on counts 13 to 16, bordering on stealing.
The EFCC had charged Ramirez along with his companies, USA Now LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP and USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, for an alleged $1,235,000 EB-5 visa scam.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants obtained the money from his victims as processing fees for their investments in his company, USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, in the Employment-Based Fifth Preference (EB-5) United States of America Investor programme, which would qualify them to be eligible for the issuance of USA Green Card. The defendant was said to have reneged on his promise.
He was initially arraigned on a 12 counts charge bordering on fraud and he pleaded not guilty. Later, EFCC amended the charge and Ramirez was re-arraigned on 16 counts charge on 24 June 2022.
He was alleged to have committed the offences on 5 February 2013 and 18 April 2013 in Lagos, dishonourably converted to his personal use the aggregate sum of $545,000 property of Godson Onyemaechi Echegile.
At trial, the prosecution counsel, M.S. Owede tendered several documentary evidence, called witnesses to prove the allegations against him and
was cross-examined by the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN).
The case, however, suffered several adjournments at the stage of adoption of final written addresses before counsel in the suit eventually adopted their final addresses on 8 May 2024, and the judge adjourned for judgment.
However, while delivering judgment today, Justice Dada found him guilty as charged and sentenced him to 10 years each on counts one to 12, bordering on obtaining by false pretence and 10 years each on counts 13 to 16, bordering on stealing.
Also, the judge found Ramirez guilty on a separate amended nine-count charge bordering on an alleged $368,698.24 fraud.
Parts of the charge read that”Marco Antonio Ramirez, USA NOW LLC, and USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, on or about the 26th day of July 2013 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $250,000 from Gabriel Ogie Edeoghon under the false representation that the sum was his investment in your company: USA NOW Energy Capital Group LP in the Employment-Based Fifth Preference (EB-5) United States of America Investor Programme, which investment would qualify him to be eligible for a USA Green Card, and which representation you knew to be false.”
He also pleaded not guilty to the charge when read to him.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Samuel Daji also tendered several documentary evidence against him and called witnesses to testify against him.
Eighteen-Eleven Media