Latest update January 11th, 2025 12:27 AM
Latest News
- Jagdeo-led PPP supported tax waivers to Exxon without seeing terms of oil contract
- President stomps Nandlall’s plan to appeal $24M awarded to Quindon Bacchus’ family
- More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, officials say
- Benn flags citizens lax approach to fire safety
- Chinese man missing after falling off new harbour bridge
Trial for EZjet’s boss delayed to April at lawyer’s request
EZjet’s boss, Sonny Ramdeo
Embattled EZjet airline executive, Sonny Ramdeo, will now face an April trial after his new lawyer said that he is unable to proceed because of another case.
Ramdeo, whose airline fell into financial troubles late last year, was suspended by authorities in Guyana, US, Canada and Trinidad in December.
Ramdeo himself had been facing accusations of fraud and was on the run for months from the US’ Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) before agents cornered him in a basement in Queens, New York. He appeared in a New York court where his detention was extended and he was later transferred to Florida to face the wire fraud charges.
Ramdeo dropped his state-appointed lawyer and retained Valentin Rodriguez, a West Palm Beach, Florida-based lawyer. According to the lawyer in court documents filed for the trial to be extended, Ramdeo would have faced trial for the week of March 11th.
However, the lawyer said that he only received the documents pertaining to Ramdeo’s defence after January 30, when he officially appeared as Ramdeo’s lawyer. He said that he started another fraud case that was set to conclude on February 22 and which forced him to travel to Miami, another part of Florida.
Rodriguez said that “documents are rather voluminous and contain thousands of bank records pertaining to a rather complex fraud allegation. An investigator has been assisting the undersigned; however, it is anticipated that the undersigned needs at a minimum 60 to 90 additional days to digest the discovery and be ready for a trial, if necessary.”
Ramdeo has agreed to waive his right to a speedy trial to accommodate the delay.
Ramdeo is accused of embezzling US$20M as early as 2005 from Promise Healthcare Inc. and Success Healthcare Group, a US hospital chain where he worked as the payroll supervisor.
As the payroll supervisor for both companies, Ramdeo managed the payroll for more than 3,500 employees in hospitals nationwide.
Federal officials say Ramdeo incorporated PayServ Tax Inc., and told the hospital chains he would handle the transfer of local, state and federal payroll taxes to the proper agencies on their behalf. Instead, authorities say, he kept the money.
In October, Promise Healthcare filed a lawsuit accusing Ramdeo of embezzling more than US$5 million to keep his airline afloat. He was arrested by the FBI in New York late last year, after reportedly being on the run.
He has pleaded not guilty. Ramdeo, 35, started EZjet in late 2011, as the cheaper alternative to fly on the New York to Guyana route.
However, from the onset there have been questions over the source of Ramdeo’s finances for the airline which at first glance seemed unable to maintain itself based on the low fares.
However, Ramdeo denied rumours that former President Bharrat Jagdeo and his close friends had investments in the company.
Government had continuously defended EZjet’s presence saying, that the market was badly in need of such an airline.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The unconscionable terms of the PSA establish a case for renegotiation
The unconscionable terms, The unconscionable terms Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The Production Sharing Agreement (PSA)... more
Forget Begging Rich Nations: Caribbean Countries Should Act to Save Themselves
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- It has long been evident that the world’s richest nations, especially those responsible... more
Weekend Cartoon
