- An American, Marco Ramirez, has duped five Nigerians of $1.5 million - The criminal allegedly defrauded Gabriel Edeoghon and Oludare Talabi of $388,838 and also defrauded Amb. Godson Echejue, Abubakar Umar and Sodimu of $1.2 million - Ramirez is standing trial alongside his companies – USA Now LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP and USA Now Capital Group
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused an American and alleged serial conman, Marco Ramirez of defrauding five Lagos-based Nigerians of $1.5 million.
This was was disclosed when the EFCC arraigned at the an Ikeja Special Offences Court He said the American was apprehended by the anti-graft agency during one of his business visits to Nigeria.
He is standing trial alongside his companies – USA Now LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP and USA Now Capital Group. Ramirez who was apprehended by EFCC during one of his business visits to Nigeria was alleged to have defrauded Gabriel Edeoghon and Oludare Talabi of $388,838 and also defrauded Amb. Godson Echejue, Abubakar Umar and Sodimu of $1.2 million.
While being led in evidence by M. F. Owede, the EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, one of the criminal's victim, a Nigerian businessman, Olukayode Sodimu revealed how Ramirez defrauded him of 145,000 dollars in a green card scam.
According to him, he met the America criminal and his company in 2013 through an advertisement in a newspaper for an Employment-based Fifth Preference (EB-5) American Investment programme.
He said the advert claimed that one can invest $500,000 and by this, the investor and his children under 21-years of age will be issued a U.S. Green Card. He said he verified the authenticity of the programme and that he found out online that such programme exists. Going further, he disclosed that he attended the programme at a top hotel in Lagos as advertised in the newspaper.
He said that at the seminar, Ramirez gave a lecture and that after the lecture, he had a meeting with Ramirez. He added that the criminal gave him a brochure that had some explanations and stated that had he had American Government backing for the programme.