The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the arrest in Palawan of an American fugitive wanted by authorities in Florida for racketeering and financial fraud.
In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the American as Rick Lee Crosby Jr., 44, who was arrested April 29 in Puerto Princesa City by operatives from the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU).
Crosby, according to Tansingco, will be immediately sent back to the US as he was already ordered expelled by the BI last December when the bureau’s board of commissioners issued an order for his summary deportation.
The board also ordered his inclusion in the immigration blacklist, thus banning him from re-entering the Philippines.
Pursuant to such deportation order, a warrant for deportation signed by Tansingco was served on the American by the arresting agents.
He was detained at the National Bureau of Investigation Puerto Princesa District Office, prior to his transfer to the BI’s facility in Taguig City.
BI-FSU acting chief Rendel Ryan Sy said Crosby has been on the wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since April 2020 when he was issued an arrest warrant by the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County Florida.
BI agents nab American wanted for racketeering, fraud in Florida
He was reportedly charged before the said court for Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Money Laundering, and Organized Scheme to Defraud.
Sy also bared that Crosby’s passport was canceled by the US government, which made him an undocumented alien who is liable to immediate deportation.
Meanwhile, BI agents have arrested two illegal aliens in Cebu and Manila.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the aliens, an American and an Indian, were arrested by operatives from the BI intelligence division in separate operations conducted in Carcar City and at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (naia).
Tansingco said the aliens are now detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City while undergoing deportation proceedings for violating Philippine immigration laws.
BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. identified the American as 48-year-old Barry Lee Jordan who was arrested last April 28 at his partner’s residence in Bgy. Upper Buenavista, Carcar City.
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