MONEY LAUNDERING; WHY US DID NOT PROSECUTE ALGON CHAIRMAN, NSE NTUEM

$44,783 seized from him not $82,000 as reported in 
the media
More facts have emerged on why Mr Nse  Ntuen, the Chairman 
of the Akwa Ibom State Association of Local Governments of 
Nigeria (ALGON) and the executive chairman of Essien Udlm 
Local government recently escaped prosecution in the US over 
money laundering.

Mr Ntuen, a political boy of Gov. Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, who 
arrived United States on August 15, 2013 from London through 
Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport to attend the 
just concluded Annual International Convention of the Akwa 
Ibom Indigenes in the United States and Canada, lied in the US 
custom declaration form that he was carrying only $5,000 on him 
whereas he stashed $44,783 in his hand luggage.

A US customs officer at the airport told our correspondents that 
the suspect was given multiple opportunities to truthfully disclose 
the amount of money he was bringing into the United States but 
insisted it was only $5000.

Not satisfied with his response and declaration, the officer that 
reviewed his declaration form and other travelling documents 
sent him for secondary screening where another officer found 
44k on him in bundles of dollars, pound sterling and Nigerian 
Naira.Following Ntuen’s failure to declare the money, he forfeits the 
smuggling money but $500 was handed to him on humanitarian 
ground to enable him get to his destination.

However, when African Examiner and our Partner, Per second 
news.com visited the US Customs and border Control office, 
Officer Steve Sapp later in an email sent to us confirmed that on 
August 15 there was a money laundering case concerning a 
Nigerian traveler who flew him from London to US through BWI 
airport but he will not disclose the name of the passenger.

Officer Sapp explained further that US laws would not allow the 
release of culprit’s name since he was not prosecuted being a 
first offender explaining that US laws bar them from prosecuting 
first time money laundering offenders.

“We did seize $44,783 from a Nigerian man who arrived at BWI 
on August 15, 2013. He was not criminally charged; however we 
did seize his currency and released $500 to the traveler for 
humanitarian purposes.” Saap stated

It was gathered that Mr Ntuen was made to write and sign a 
statement accepting that he brought in money in which he failed 
to declare to the United States Customs and was released after 
completing all paperwork.

Recall that when the story broke, it went viral on social media. 
So, Instead of telling the truth about the incident, Mr Ntuen and 
the Akwa Ibom state commissioner for Information Anieka Umana 
shamefully lied to Nigerians and the Akwa Ibom people on both 
State and National Television that the incident never happened.

Umana described the story as baseless and handiwork of their 
political enemies in the state while Mr Ntuen said "I was surprise 
and shock over the stories which never happened."

Aniekan’s statement backing the disgraced ALGON boss 
corroborates the insinuation in some quarters that the seized 
money may have been allegedly smuggled into the US on behalf 
of Governor Godswill Akpabio who also attended the convention 
held at the Marriot Hotel in Washington, DC, in which the new 
Akwa Ibom state SSG publicly donated $50,000 on the occasion 
while Gov. Godswill Akpabio told the audience that he would not 
announce his own donation in public for political reasons.

As at the time of filing the story, the email and text message sent 
to both Aniekan Umana and Nse Ntuen 2 days ago to react to 
the story have not been replied.