Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) told an IKEA Special Offences Court how an American, Marco Ramirez duped two Nigerians of $368,698 under the pretext of obtaining Green Cards for them.
FBI officer, Ayotunde Solademi, confirmed on Thursday before the court that Ramirez defrauded the Nigerians.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Ramirez on an amended nine counts bordering on obtaining money under false pretences.
The defendant is facing trial alongside his companies: USA NOW LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP and USA Now Energy Capital Group LP.
Solademi said that the Office of the Legal Attache in the U.S. Consulate, sometime in 2016, received a letter from EFCC requesting that the FBI should assist it to find out about the EB-5 Investor Immigrant Programme.
He said: “The request was also to know if USA Now LLC has the right to issue out the EB-5 Investor Immigrant visa to Nigerians.
“The FBI investigated the matter relating to questions that were asked.
“We responded to the EFCC based on our search and people interviewed.
“The main crux of our finding is that Nigeria is not a participant of the EB-5 Investor Immigrant Programme.