Federal prosecutors are hoping to land a guilty plea from a Kenyan man believed heavily involved in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that targeted West Virginia and other states.
The U.S. Attorney's office is requesting a hearing for Paramena Shikanda in Charleston.
Shikanda is among five Kenyan natives indicted after West Virginia's auditor and officials Kansas, Massachusetts and Ohio were duped out of nearly $3.3 million.
The scammers set up dummy corporations that posed as legitimate vendors doing business with those states. Investigators say most of West Virginia's money ended up in Kenya. The other states recovered their money.
One co-defendant has already pleaded guilty. But another, Robert Otiso, changed his mind during a May 7 hearing.
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