NIGERIAN artiste, Dammy Krane, whose real name is Oyindamola Emmanuel Johnson-Hunga, is facing a nine-count charge in a court in Florida, United States.
The Hypertek singee was arrested in Miami, Florida on the 2nd of June in connection with charges of grand theft (3rd degree), credit card scam, conspiracy, forgery, intent to defraud among others.
According to an American jet company known as Tapjets, who filed the suit, the singer had tried to book a private jet using five different credit cards not belonging to him.
Using its Twitter handle (@TapJets) to announce the fraud, the company said it would prosecute the 2Baba singed artiste to “the fullest extent”.
And since his arrest, Dammy Krane alongside his promoter, Chukwuebuka Gabriel Ilochonwu has been remanded in prison at the Turner Guilford Knight correctional centre in Florida without bail.
Sources say that the singer who appeared in court for bail hearing on June 5, has been appointed a defence attorney, Deborah Prager.
Deborah, who graduated from the New York University of School of Law in 2016, will be facing a hard time trying to free Dammy Krane from the tight-fisted clutches of the law that has piled up weight evidence against him.
Under the Florida Law, a grand theft is a felony offense and relates to any intentional act of taking property valued at $300.00 or more. The penalties for the offense include prison time, probation, fines, restitution and a permanent criminal record status.
Deborah also will be saddled with the task of securing his bail which has been charged at $5000.
Krane will also be expected to pay the sum of $17,500 for all the infringements.
Dammy Krane released on bail, apologises to fans, family
Embattled Nigerian singer, Dammy Krane has been released on bail after his arrest in Miami, US six days ago.
The artiste was set cut loose from the Turner Guilford Knight correctional centre in Florida yesterday after a bail term was reached.
The pop singer, who was recently appointed a defence counsel, has been involved in a credit card theft cum fraud with an American private Jet company, Tapjets.
After his release on Wednesday, the Hypertek singer, who is still in the US, made a video apologising to his fans, friends and family for the impact the ugly incident has had on them.
Dammy Krane also tried to exonerate himself from all the 9-count charges in the video. He also thanks those who supported him while in detention.
Speaking he said, “First of all I want to thank God and I want to use this medium to apologise to my family, my team and my fans.
Explaining further, he said, “You know I was arrested by the Miami PD for fraud. I do not do fraud and I do not partake in such activities. It’s just happens to be that the agent just booked my flight with fraudulent cards.
“My life is all about my music and that is all I’m about.”
“I am sorry I got caught up in this mess. I assure all my fans it will never happen again.
“I want to thank everyone who stood by me in this period. May God continue to bless you and protect you all. Amin.
“And to my parents, I want to thank you for your undying love. Please keep supporting me. I have more music on the way. I promise I will make you proud. I love you so much. Thank you very much. Hold strong” Dammy Krane.
Meanwhile, the Tapjets, the American private jet company, has also revealed how it linked the singer to the crime.
Head of Flight Safety and Security for Tapjets, Mr Konstantin, told an online source that, “He (Dammy Krane) uses Samsung Galaxy 7, and messages did not come from that phone.
“However, that same phone was used to place the online order with credit card that does not belong to him.
“Same phone was used to register multiple accounts trying to buy with different cards until one finally worked. However, names did not match to zip codes etc.”
About his promoter’s involvement, the company further revealed that Chukwuebuka had also used a different card to purchase flight ticket using another phone.
“Konstatin in concluding said that they both tried the “total of five cards in an hour till one worked.”
“We are 100 percent confident that our app was on that phone and order was placed via T-Mobile network from cell tower located in Miami area.”
“We have coordinates of cell tower and proof that they took a car from that area to Opalacka airport. That’s where the arrest took place.”
and then