By TSJ Reporter
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought charges against Echendu Ndubuisi Endy, the Managing Director of Echendu GPC Limited, for defrauding victims out of N9 million in a visa scam. Endy appeared before Justice E. A. Obile of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to face the charges.
According to the EFCC, Endy allegedly deceived three victims by promising to secure United Kingdom work permit visas in exchange for large sums of money. He is accused of fraudulently obtaining N4 million from one victim, N3 million from another, and an additional amount from a third victim, bringing the total defrauded amount to N9 million.
The victims claim Endy failed to provide the promised visas or issue refunds for their payments. The charges against Endy include three counts of obtaining money under false pretenses, which violates the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
One of the charges reads that Endy, while acting as the Managing Director of Echendu GPC Limited, took N4 million from a victim between April and May 2024, falsely claiming he could secure a UK work permit visa for them. Similarly, in another charge, Endy is accused of defrauding a second victim of N3 million between August and September 2023, with the same fraudulent promise of a UK visa.
Endy pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre. The court has adjourned the case until November 28, 2024, for a hearing on his bail application.
The EFCC revealed that Endy was arrested in October 2024 after complaints from the victims, who accused him of running a fake visa scam. The total amount defrauded was N9 million, and despite receiving the money, Endy allegedly failed to deliver the visas or provide any refunds.