A fraud case initiated in the United States of America against Olalekan Ponle popular as Mr. Woodberry has been dismissed.
Recall that Mr. Woodberry was arrested on Wednesday, June 10, by Dubai Police in a raid swept almost all of the cybercrime syndicate in the country, including Ramon Abbas popular as Hushpuppi.
He was subsequently extradited to America where he is facing trial. During his arraignment, Mr. Woodberry was accused of tricking a Chicago company into sending wire transfers totalling $15.2 million.
Prosecutors disclosed that companies based in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New York, and California were also victims of the fraud.
Though Woodberry was indicted by a grand jury on an eight-count charge of wire fraud, the United States government on Monday, July 20th filed a motion through its attorney John R. Lausch, requesting that the case against him be dismissed without prejudice.
Lausch said;
“Counsel for the government has spoken with counsel for the defendant and defendant’s counsel has no objection to this motion. Respectfully submitted.”
He added that the request was made in pursuant with Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure 48, which states that the government may, with leave of court, dismiss an indictment, information, or complaint.
A court order issued by Judge Robert W. Gettleman on Tuesday, July 21, confirmed that the government’s motion to dismiss complaint without prejudice was granted.
According to Mr. Gentleman,
“Without objection the complaint against defendant Ponle is dismissed without prejudice. Motion presentment hearing set for 7/23/2020 is stricken.”
Though Mr. Woodberry’s case has been dismissed without prejudice, the prosecutor can still refile the case within a certain period of time.
The probable causes of dismissal range from unavailability of sufficient evidence, an improper criminal complaint or charging document, to loss of evidence necessary to prove the defendant committed the crime.
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