16 Dec 2006

Samoa deports American accused of fraud

9:32 am on 16 December 2006

The police and immigration authorities in Samoa have deported an American man and his family wanted for alleged criminal activities in the United States.

Charles Elliot Fitzgerald, an American real estate developer, is accused of running a 50 million US Dollar mortgage fraud scheme in the U.S.

The man fled America and arrived in Samoa in 2003 after a mortgage broker he is accused of defrauding sued him.

The assistant chief executive officer of the Immigration division of the Ministry of the Prime Minister, Fata Uili Kapeteni, says Samoa has tough immigration laws and is not a safe haven for those who break the law.