Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, 28 June, arrested eight suspected internet fraudsters at Royal Palm Estate, on Peter Odili Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The suspects identified as Ebitamuno Abereoku; Theophilus Monday; Godgift Clinton; Joshua Pina; Bright James Achesomie; Samuel Akunna, Ugbe John Paul and Harvey Orji, were arrested based on verified intelligence by the EFCC. Preliminary investigations linked them with suspected bitcoin and romance fraud.
Spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujarun, who confirmed the arrest, said three exotic cars: one ash- coloured Lexus ES 350 car, one white- coloured Lexus RS 330 Sports Utility Vehicle, one white- coloured Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicle, were recovered from the suspects.https:scudnewsng.com
Other items allegedly recovered from them included 11 different models of iPhones, 4 different models of other phones; 3 laptops; 3 zealot speakers; 2 smart watches, two ATM cards and one Identity Card.
In another development, the EFCC, also on Monday, secured the conviction of three internet fraudsters in Ibadan, Oyo State. The defendants were prosecuted before two separate courts, the Federal High Court, Ibadan and Oyo
State High Court, Ibadan.
Samuel Tanimowo Owolabi,( a.k.a Dr. Keilah Forgey), and Akinrinmade Adepoju Sunday were convicted by Justice Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Ibadan of charges of fraudulent impersonation, contrary to Section 22 (3) (a) and 22 (2) (a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, and punishable under the same Act.
Owolabi was sentenced to a year and seven months imprisonment while Akinrinmade bagged three months imprisonment.
The court also order Owolabi to forfeit a Toyota Lexus RX300 SUV, Toyota Lexus RX330 SUV, one silver coloured Macbook air laptop, on grey coloured Apple smart wrist watch, two LG Television, one white coloured IPhone X, one white Apple mouse, and two flash drives.
Akinrinmade was ordered by court to forfeit the sum of N986,855:85k (Nine Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Five Naira Eighty Five kobo) from his GTBank account with number 0167977299 and one iPhone 11 Pro Max Plus, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In the vein, Justice Bayo Taiwo of Oyo State High Court, Ibadan convicted and sentenced Azeez Yusuf Akinkunmi to three months community service for one count charge of obtaining property by false pretence.
He was ordered to restitute the sum of $110 USD to his victim Mike Anderson, through the EFCC.
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