Three years after allegedly smuggling thousands of dollars into the United States, American Secret Service (SS) agents may still be after President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Matters, Mr Andy Uba.

And for allegedly using a presidential plane to smuggle the money into New York on September 22, 2003, Obasanjo’s plane may be impounded "over illegal importation of bulk cash into the US the next time it lands on any territory where US law has jurisdiction".

The President has visited the United States several times since 2003.

Uba, who is described as a "seasoned traveller" by a Special Agent with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE), Guy Gino, "remains under surveillance whenever he steps into the US for money laundering and advance fee fraud."

Gino, who is assigned to investigate the "Uba scam", was specially trained at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centre in Washington D.C. to "detect illegal methods used to smuggle contraband and other undeclared items, use of schemes to conceal and launder proceeds of financial crimes, federal criminal procedures, federal criminal statutes, US customs laws and regulations and other federal laws, including, but not limited to, statutes involving the bulk cash smuggling of United States currency into the United States."

The President’s Temperance Farm in Ota, Ogun State is also under investigation because "$45,487.28 (about N6.5 million) from the laundered cash was used to buy assorted farm equipment that were shipped to Obasanjo farms in Ota".

The Nation

learnt that Uba (also known as Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba with address given as 772, Ibrahim Taiwo Street, Asokoro, Abuja) smuggled $170,000 cash into the US on September 22, 2003.

The money, among others, was illegally deposited in tranches at various banks in Portland, Oregon. Miss Loretta Mabinton, Uba’s friend, was used as a front.

Uba had accompanied Obasanjo to New York to attend a meeting of the United Nations.

Not only was the Presidential plane used to smuggle the cash, Uba did not report the fund to US Customs and Border Protection and "a portion of the money was later used to purchase a Mercedes Benz Car for Uba at $91,262.50 (about N12.9 million)."

"Another sum of $45,487,28 (about N6.5 million) was used to pay Mabinton’s MBNA credit card account which had been used to purchase assorted farm equipment that were shipped to Obasanjo’s farms in Ota."

It was gathered that Uba, who was listed as a "previous subject of a Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud scheme investigation", and Mabinton did not wire the cash through banking transaction which would have drawn attention to "origination, source and destination."

Because of the "strong belief" that the laundered money must have been proceeds of corruption, the vehicle and funds from Mabinton’s bank account were administratively seized on the orders of a US District Court of Oregon on June 12, 2006 "being proceeds of bulk cash smuggling, violations of currency and monetary instrument reporting requirements, currency transaction reporting requirements and money laundering".

District Judge Malcom F. Marsh gave the order. Uba and Mabinton’s lawyer was Douglas A. Stringer.

The Presidential aide hails from the popular Uba political family of Anambra. His elder brother Ugochukwu is a Senator. His younger brother Chris is the "godfather" of Anambra politics.

Andy Uba has a governorship ambition.

It was gathered that the money used to buy the Benz was converted to cashier’s check.

When interviewed by Secret Service agents on November 6, 2003, Uba confessed to bringing the cash to the US. He did not, however, respond to the question on why he refused to file the Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments Report (CMIR).

The Atlanta branch of the Secret Service had previously suspected Uba as being involved in money laundering deals but in his defence of December 20, 2004, he said the money was part of his "savings and family money".

To show the seriousness of the US government, a serious warrant was issued to seize Uba’s Benz. The warrant was served by Gino on Delmos Shipping on November 18, 2003.

"The vehicle had already been shipped and had to be returned to Portland, Oregon from Singapore. The vehicle arrived in Portland, Oregon on January 15, 2004."

On June 3, 2005, the customs said Uba’s statement on his source of money was not legitimate.

On April 4, 2006, Uba and Mabinton’s lawyer Stringer filed a "verified statement of Interest in Defendant Property".

Another "Answer to Complaint, Affirmative Defences and Counterclaim against the United States of America" was filed by Uba and Mabinton on April 24, 2006.

On August 31, 2006, a move was made by the duo to settle the matter out of court.

On September 27, 2006 Judge Marsh ordered:

"Based upon the Settlement Agreement filed on August 31, 2006 between the United States and claimant’s Loretta Mabinton and Emmanuel Uba, and upon the records and files in this action;

"It is ordered that this court has subject matter jurisdiction in this action and the sub res defendant, in rem, $26,000 in United States currency, is forfeited to the United States of America, free and clear of the claims of any and all persons, including Loretta Mabinton and Emmanuel Uba.

"The United States Customs and Border Protection is directed to immediately seize and transfer the custody and possession of the sub res defendant, in rem, $26,000 in United States currency, to the secretary of Treasury of the United States for disposition in accordance with applicable statutes and regulations and provisions of this judgment."

Gino, in a 21-page affidavit, said it was not the first time Mabinton would deposit such funds allegedly on behalf of Uba at Electra Federal Credit Union (EFCU).

"The vehicle registered in the state of Oregon to Loretta Mabinton. Seattle ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents spoke with bank officials, who informed the agents of recent deposits by Loretta Mabinton totalling approximately $200,000. The bank officials also indicated that several of the deposits appeared to have been structures," he said.

EFCU officials, he said, reported that they first observed suspicious activity by Mabinton on September 2, 2003 when she structured a deposit in US currency.

"On September 23, 2003, bank officials told me that Mabinton brought $160,000 in United States currency to the bank in a purple plastic grocery bag. The currency consisted of 1,600 new $100 FRN stamped with the phrase ‘AL GULAM’.

"Mabinton opened a second account in her name at the EFCU and deposited the $160,000. Bank officials advised me that Mabinton added Emmanuel Uba’s name to the account several weeks later," Gino said.

When a ‘freeze’ was placed on Mabinton’s account, she on November 5, 2003 contacted the Secret Service, Portland, Oregon President Office and spoke with Special Agent Mark Kehoe upon receiving notification of the frozen funds.

She revealed to Kehoe that any notes stamped with the words "AL GULAM" came from a bank in Nigeria that is used by her fiancée Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba.

"Mabinton stated that she flew to New York on September 22, 2003 and received $170,000 in United States currency from Uba while at the UN Plaza Hotel, Mabinton stated that Uba had flown into the United States with the currency on the Nigerian President’s aircraft.

"Mabinton stated that Uba is the ‘Special Assistant to the President’ of Nigeria and that he was not required to declare any currency if he was flying on the President’s plane.

"Mabintton stated that she needed the $170,000 to handle Uba’s personal/business affairs. Additionally, he asked her to buy a Mercedes Banz SL 500 with some of the money and ship it to him in Nigeria. Mabinton said she deposited $160,000 into a joint account with Uba at Electra Federal Credit Union and deposited $10,000 into her own personal account," Gino said in the affidavit.

The special agent said since Uba was not "an accredited diplomat with the Nigerian government," he has no official diplomatic standing in the United States and even "if the money had been transported into the United States via a diplomatic pouch, the money could only be used for official purposes of the government of Nigeria.

Robot  # 1 | 06.11.2006 13:10

Three years after allegedly smuggling thousands of dollars into the United States, American Secre...Read the full article.

GirlWifanAttitude  # 2 | 06.11.2006 14:03

These Uba boys are hooligans, agberos, obtuse and incurably corrupt, and if I might add with Chris Uba presiding over the Okija ceremony with Ngige, where dead bodies of helpless Nigerians were found sacrificed to devils…satanists, nothing good can come out of these sorts, period. I wonder how they all successfully squeezed their way into the Nigerian political arena so completely. This is so mind blowing and aggravating. Please in future, especially in 2007, Nigerians should strive to eliminate these illiterates from our political vein. We should not allow them to even contest, not to talk of giving them the chance to rig the votes, and any candidate found associating with any of them prior to next year’s elections should be collectively voted against and ostracized because birds of the same feather flock together.

BiafranPrincess  # 3 | 06.11.2006 14:23

Pls tell me this is not the same Uba who wants to be governor of Anambra state! I hope he never becomes governor forever and ever ....Amen! No wonder OBJ farms is now doing so well...onyibo inported tractors while poor farmers that need equipment groan in Naija! I cannot wait for the PTDF PROBE O! In the good old days, the Uba family would be a prime example of people that the whole community cuts off from but money don spoil igboland and Truth has long been buried and mourned and forgotten! The political fireworks this month and next(dec) will be too much in Naija. Me thinks the beginning of the fall of OBJ is finally here. This is one man that would not be retiring as a clean, incorrupt statesman. no sirrr, OBJ and his crony will finally answer to all their acts of lawlessness, corruption and hypocricy...God save Naija. Realistically, If all OBJ has on Atiku is the PTDF case, then Atiku may not quite be the poster boy of corruption like I thought. Hmmm cant wait for Jan (post firworks), at least then we'll know who the presidential and gubernatorial aspirants are.

tengallons  # 4 | 06.11.2006 14:48

News like this is good. OBJ is trying to craft a legacy of uprightness -- especially for his foreign friends. Unfortunately for him, bit by bit, his game is unravelling. While the vast majority of us are toiling to maintain, these nincompoops are skimming zillions off the top of our collective wealth. To each of them, their own day of the jackal...

MrOneNaija  # 5 | 06.11.2006 15:12

=GirlWifanAttitude;137571>These Uba boys are hooligans, agberos, obtuse and incurably corrupt, and if I might add with Chris Uba presiding over the Okija ceremony with Ngige, where dead bodies of helpless Nigerians were found sacrificed to devils…satanists, nothing good can come out of these sorts, period. I wonder how they all successfully squeezed their way into the Nigerian political arena so completely. This is so mind blowing and aggravating. Please in future, especially in 2007, Nigerians should strive to eliminate these illiterates from our political vein. We should not allow them to even contest, not to talk of giving them the chance to rig the votes, and any candidate found associating with any of them prior to next year’s elections should be collectively voted against and ostracized because birds of the same feather flock together. GirlWifanAttitude, Perhaps the answer to your query as to how the likes of Andy and Chris Uba "successfully squeezed their way into the Nigerian political arena" is the simple truth that today, Nigerian politics is dominated by a dangerous cabal willing to go to any length in order to maintain its murderous hold on power. And as they say, birds of the same feather... When the former Defence minister, Theophilus Danjuma resigned from the Obasanjo cabinet a few years ago, he made a statement that a few individuals bothered to pay attention to then. He hinted chillingly that a main reason for his stepping down as minister was because the current Obasanjo regime is under the influence of occult forces. You'll also remember that the ex-IGP, Tafa Balogun made a lot of noise about an attendance register found at Okija by the police. That register was said to contain names of high-profile figures including those in active politics. Now, that register has reportedly been stolen! And we are told that business is booming once more at the shrines in Okija, though without the corpses in full glare of the public. As for Andy Uba, if my recollection is right, he is well educated and that is what makes him probably more dangerous than his younger brother, Chris.

sniper  # 6 | 06.11.2006 15:16

Can We Always Be Clear On Issues And Not Always Use The Presidents Name When We Want To Remain Relevant, Was The President Aware Of The Movement Of Funds With His Entourage. When We Feel Like Addressing Issues Lets Do It Without Getting Petty, Even When Wives Dont Perform Well In Bed It Is Obasanjo. Excuse Me Lets Stop Getting Petting And Fail Real Issues And My Fellow Readers Don't Lets Always Get Sentimental On Anything That Is Written Let Us Know The Facts.

Labaran  # 7 | 06.11.2006 15:29

@Sniper, This is my froblem with you eduacted people of Nigeria. You have come down to exonerating OBJ again because you don't want him touched, when Bodunde Adeyanju was accused of running "errands" for Baba in millions, same argument, but when Pariya was caught with Atiku's money, Atiku is liable. Very pathetic argument, I will dare say. Things Obasanjo didn't know: 1. He didn't know that Adedibu shares N65 million security votes with Alao-Akala? 2. He didn't know that Mrs. Lamide Adegbenro was married? 3. He didn't know that Andy Uba was smuggling cash into US, China, the UK with the presidential plane? 4. He didn't know that Mike Adenuga was building an auditorium for his univerity? 5. He didn't know that Andy Uba buys farm equipments for Obasanjo Farms? 6. He didn't know that Orji Kalu gave him N100 million for his campaigns? 7. He didn't know that Dariye stole N100 million for the PDP, but yet returns the money? 8. He didn't know that Bode George raided and looted NPA? 9. He didn't know that Fayose was killing his opponents in Ekiti State? 10. He didn't know jack, can't you tell he didn't know his age, he is senile, has recently developed Amnesia arising from complications of Alzheimer's Disease? Please, stop fooling the rest of us, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obugi  # 8 | 06.11.2006 15:47

All, Make una go siddon. Chris & Andy Uba are good and upstanding Xtians. Didn't I read where Chris Uba baptized his son in churh or something? All the Uba bros need to do is attend confession on a regular basis, or pray really hard and sincerely 4 forgiveness. Nothing spoil. God is in control, if He did not want the Uba's to be Godfathers, surely he has it in his power to do something about it? There is no need 2 worry, my ppl. In His own good time, God will make everything right. In the light of the awesome power of Jesus, this is indeed a small matter; be not fainthearted and trust in the Lord, for his word will surely come to pass. Children of Isreal, be not dismayed, your Lord liveth! Obugi.

cdimkpa  # 9 | 06.11.2006 15:53

Obasanjo recently said the best thing that happened to his goverment was Andy Uba. Now this same guy is found involved in shipping tractors to Ota farm. Indeed, the best thing to have happened to Ota farm is Andy Uba. So much hypocrisy in a thieving master and his equally thieving boy-boy. Shame. Shame. Shame. BTW, Dangote recently endorsed Uba for Anambra governorship. Given his closeness to OBJ, Dangote must know one or two things about Obj, Uba and their corrupt ways. EFFC should get down with Dangote.

Auspicious  # 10 | 06.11.2006 15:55

=Obugi;137590>All, Make una go siddon. Chris & Andy Uba are good and upstanding Xtians. Didn't I read where Chris Uba baptized his son in churh or something? All the Uba bros need to do is attend confession on a regular basis, or pray really hard and sincerely 4 forgiveness. Nothing spoil. God is in control, if He did not want the Uba's to be Godfathers, surely he has it in his power to do something about it? There is no need 2 worry, my ppl. In His own good time, God will make everything right. In the light of the awesome power of Jesus, this is indeed a small matter; be not fainthearted and trust in the Lord, for his word will surely come to pass. Children of Isreal, be not dismayed, your Lord liveth! Obugi. Bwakatatatahhahahhahahah! Heeeeheheheheeheheh! Haaaahahahahahahah! Obugi! Obugi! Obugiiiiiii! I call you TIRI times. Abeg, nor kill pesin ooooo! You nor go KILL PERSIN OOOOOOOO! Say Amen. Oh lordy lawd! You forget add your mantra: "KRISHNA IS.. (OGINI AGAIN?) Auspicious.

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