One week after giving notice to the West Palm Beach Court, Florida, through his attorney about his intention to change his “not guilty” plea to “guilty”, founder of EZjet, Sonny Ramdeo, on Tuesday admitted to wire fraud to the tune in excess of US$ 20million. The matter is being heard by Judge Kenneth Marra.
The former Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara resident is expected to be sentenced on January 13, 2014 and will face several charges of wire fraud and money laundering. He can face a maximum of 90 years imprisonment.
Ramdeo introduced EZjet, a low-cost charter company he reportedly founded and operated between New York and Guyana, but was arrested by U. S. federal agents in 2012 after being on the run following his interdiction.
The low-cost charter started in December 2011 amid much pomp and ceremony in Guyana. Upon the introduction of the aircraft, there were questions by key players in the industry about the airline’s sustainability.
Ramdeo told media operatives that monies to sustain the flights were from his savings and mortgage taken on his Florida home. The airline operated the Georgetown/ New York route and later introduced flights to Canada and Trinidad.
However, this new investment might have given the U. S. authorities an edge in locating him. He was under the microscope of the U. S. authorities for a period of time and was reportedly hiding, but FBI agents monitored his phone calls, and tracked him to a Brooklyn basement where he was staying.
After his arrest earlier in the year, the embattled businessman made an application for bail, but it was denied on the basis that he might flee the jurisdiction.
He was accused of embezzling more than US$ 20 million from a hospital chain and using some of the proceeds to fund the airline over a period of time.
Court documents claimed Ramdeo created a payroll company and made it appear, using fake emails, as if it was a legitimate one with links to another similar establishment, that had been doing business with the hospital chain.
It was reported that Ramdeo instructed staffers to make payments and deposits in a manner and amounts that would not have raised the curiosity of the U. S. authorities.
They are still investigating where the monies that the accountant allegedly stole is hidden.
