An American businessman named Marco Antonio Ramirez was found guilty and sentenced to 74 years in prison by a Lagos State Special Offenses Court in Ikeja on Tuesday. Ramirez had defrauded victims out of $1.2 million through an EB-5 visa scam and an additional $368,698.24 in fraud.
Ramirez was found guilty on two distinct consolidated charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by Judge Mojisola Dada, who also handed down the sentence.
The court ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ramirez was given eight years for each of the first six counts of the charge, and ten years for each of the seventh and eighth counts.
Regarding the second charge, he was given 10 years for each of counts 1 through 12 related to getting money under false pretenses and 10 years for each of counts 13 through 16 related to theft.
According to the EFCC, Ramirez and his businesses, USA Now LLC, Eagle Ford Investment Group LP, and USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, got the aforementioned funds from their victims by promising them access to the United States of America Investor Program, which would have allowed them to be granted permanent residency and a USA Green Card. However, the defendant broke his word.
Instead of fulfilling these promises, Ramirez converted the funds for his personal use.
Dada, in her judgment, held that “The convict dishonestly converted the money meant for investments to his personal use.
“The prosecution has successfully proved that the promises made to the victims were false, and the funds obtained were under fraudulent pretences,” she said.
According to the EFCC, Ramirez engaged in fraudulent activities in 2013. They also stated that one of the victims, Godson Echegile, lost $545,000 to Ramirez on the false pretense that it was a processing fee for his investment, which would have allowed him to receive an EB-5 visa and obtain a U.S. Green Card.
He was initially arraigned on 12 counts bordering on fraud and he pleaded not guilty. Later, the EFCC amended the charge and Ramirez was re-arraigned on 16 counts on June 24, 2022.
The American was said to have committed the offences on February 5 2013 and April 18, 2013, in Lagos.
When the trial began, Samuel Daji was led by prosecution attorney M.S. Owede, who presented multiple pieces of documentary evidence and called witnesses to support the charges against him. Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), the defense attorney, then cross-examined Daji.
Before the parties to the lawsuit adopted their final written addresses on May 8, 2024, the case underwent multiple adjournments, and the judge postponed rendering a decision.
However, while delivering judgment on Tuesday, Dada found Ramirez 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.
The judge also found him guilty on another separate amended nine-count charge bordering on $368,698.24 fraud.
In a separate case, Ramirez was found guilty of defrauding another victim, Gabriel Ogie Edeoghon, for $250,000 on July 26, 2013.
He falsely claimed that the money was for an investment in the USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, which would make Edeoghon eligible for a U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 visa programme.
Ramirez received additional sentences of eight years each on counts one to six and 10 years each on counts seven and eight for this particular fraud.
Published by Ejoh Caleb
