Fake Groom Sentenced to Life for Brutal Murder in Sham Marriage Scam
Jurick Croes, 38, who posed as a fake groom in a sham marriage scam, has been handed a life sentence for the savage murder of 25-year-old Riches Obi and the false imprisonment of his mother, Bernadette Ortet. The chilling crime unfolded in Elephant and Castle, London, where Croes will serve a minimum of 30 years behind bars.
£500 Job Turns Deadly Over £50,000 Pay Dispute
The deadly incident erupted over a botched sham marriage scam. Croes was paid a mere £500 for his role but expected a £50,000 payday. When the cash never came, Croes teamed up with accomplices Suvenca Martis and Raichell Felomina to rob Ortet.
- On November 17, 2020, the trio attacked Ortet’s home near Elephant and Castle.
- Riches Obi tried to defend his mother but was fatally stabbed by Croes.
- Ortet was tied up with cable ties and a scarf, left helpless.
Life Sentence and Years for Accomplices
After a retrial, Croes was convicted of Mr Obi’s murder and false imprisonment of Ortet. He received a life sentence with a 30-year minimum. Judge Nigel Lickley called the murder “vicious and savage”, highlighting Obi as a defenceless man in his own home.
Croes also got nine years for false imprisonment to run concurrently.
His accomplices faced hefty jail terms:
- Raichell Felomina, 40, sentenced to 7½ years for false imprisonment.
- Suvenca Martis, 34, handed 11½ years for false imprisonment and perverting justice, plus 3½ years for drug offences.
Judge Lickley branded Martis a “willing and active” participant. Both Martis and Felomina have past convictions in the Netherlands, including theft, threats to kill, and drug crimes.
Victim’s Mother Breaks Silence on Trauma
Bernadette Ortet, currently in Nigeria, read a victim impact statement to the court. She described profound trauma and grief, condemning the “heartless” defendants. She called her son the “cornerstone” of their family and revealed lasting injuries from the attack.
“My mind knows nothing but trauma and terror. I lost the full function of my neck since I was assaulted,” Ortet said.
The Shocking Crime Scene
Police rushed to the Harper Road property after reports of a stabbing. They found the front door ajar and Riches collapsed with fatal stab wounds. Despite efforts to save him, he died at the scene.
His mother was bound and gagged in a blood-stained bedroom. Investigators found evidence of a search and a roll of duct tape. CCTV captured Martis buying cable ties and tape days before the attack.
Prosecutor Jennifer Knight KC told jurors, “The offences arose from a sham marriage scheme. The defendants had become angry over their payments and stormed Bernadette Ortet’s flat demanding money.”
End of a Twisted Crime Spree
The convictions close a complex case revealing a violent struggle for cash. Croes and his gang showed they would stop at nothing to get their hands on money – including murder and imprisonment in a brutal home invasion.
