An Azerbaijani citizen was fined on Thursday after he admitted to making fraudulent charges to an Atlantis guest’s room while in the country illegally.
Ruslan Mehdiyev, 35, of Baku, Azerbaijan, pleaded guilty to overstaying and fraud by false pretenses at his arraignment before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.
Between January 19 and 20, 2023, Mehdiyev fraudulently obtained cigars, valued at $132, from Graycliff Cigars at Atlantis. On January 20, he also obtained goods worth $208.95 from Sundry Stores at the resort.
After the charges were disputed as fraudulent, surveillance footage identified Mehdiyev as the culprit.
Following his arrest, immigration officials were notified and they discovered that Mehdiyev entered the country on October 13, 2022 and was granted permission to stay until October 27, 2022.
However, Mehdiyev remained in the country after his visitor’s visa expired and he didn’t apply for permission to extend his stay.
Ferguson-Pratt jokingly asked Mehdiyev, “It was that good?”
He replied, “Yes, I was enjoying myself.”
Ferguson-Pratt fined Mehdiyev $1,500 for the immigration violation. He will serve a default sentence of one month if the fine isn’t paid.
In relation to the fraud charges, Mehdiyev was fined a total of $800. If the fines aren’t paid, he will serve five months in prison.
Ferguson-Pratt ordered Mehdiyev turned over to immigration officials after either the payment of the fines or the completion of his sentences.
