The Nation Newspaper

Tag: internet fraudster

  • Internet fraudster kills father’s tenant

    Internet fraudster kills father’s tenant

    An ex-convict and internet fraudster, Fatai Bakare, has been arrested by operatives of the Ondo State Police Command for the alleged murder of his father’s tenant, Onyimi Grace.

    Grace, aged 42, was found concealed inside a Ghana-must-go bag, in an uncompleted building at Ore, Odigbo Local Government.

    Read Also: Internet fraudster kills father’s tenant in Ondo

    Fatai, who was found with blood stains on his legs, was arrested while reportedly fleeing to Irele.

    Ondo Police spokesman, SP Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, in a statement, said blood soaked clothes found in the house were the clothes he wore on the day of the murder.

    She said the case would be transferred to SCID for further investigation.

  • EFCC arraigns suspected Internet fraudster

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned Mr. Ajayi Temitope Charles at a Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, for alleged Internet fraud.

    He was arraigned on a five-count charge.

    The accused, who pleaded not guilty, was allegedly caught with documents with intent to defraud the public.

    The first count said the accused, also known as

    Teresa Simon, on February 28, in Ilorin, had in his possession documents in his gmail account containing false pretence with intent to defraud, and thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences.

    Read also: Bishop rewards technovation champions, school

    In the second and third counts, the accused was said to have in his possession, a document titled: “Hangout with Rodney Dean” and “Hangout with Paul Thompson”.

    He allegedly printed out the document from his gmail account.

    Justice M. Abdulgafar refused to grant the accused person bail. He ordered that he should be remanded in prison custody and adjourned till March 21.

  • Special Offences Court jails Internet fraudster 16 months

    An Ikeja Special Offences Court has sentenced an Internet fraudster, Temitope Alani Teslim, aka Hannah Ciar, to 16 months’ imprisonment for possession of fraudulent documents.

    Teslim, 22, who specialised in ‘dating scam’, was arraigned before Justice Sherifat Solebo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The convict was arrested by Nigeria Army Corps of Military Police last May 16 around Ogba, Ikeja, and was handed over to EFCC.

    He volunteered three statements to the commission, admitting that he was into “dating scam”.

    Teslim was arraigned on an amended two-count charge of possession of fraudulent documents following a plea bargain.

    Read also: Troops kill 58 bandits

    The EFCC accused him of  possessing a document titled: “My discussion with Stevieboy66” and for representing himself as a white female, Hannah Ciar, to one Stevieboy66.

    He was also accused of having a document titled: “Happy hump day”, which he knew to be false.

    The commission said the offence as committed within Ikeja.

    Teslim pleaded guilty.

    Justice Solebo convicted Teslim after reading the terms of agreement between the prosecutor, Bilkisu Buhari, and the defendant’s counsel, Z. I. Anthony-Osein.

    She ordered the convict to forfeit to the Federal Government, an iPhone 7 Rose gold in colour, a silver Acer Chrome and black battery power pack, which he used “as the instrumentality of fraud.”

  • Alleged internet fraudster nabbed

    A  24-year-old man , Isibor Ehichioya Hillary, has been arrested  by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, for allegedly defrauding a Finnish policewoman, Raiji, of the sum of N73.63million.

    Hillary perpetrated the alleged fraud  by pretending to be an American soldier, Marco Paulo, serving in Iraq.

    According to IRT sources,  Hillary, a native of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State and a graduate of civil engineering from the Ambrose Ali University, Epkoma, ran into trouble, when Raiji, who he met on an internet dating site, wrote a petition against him to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, detailing how  she attempted suicide after realized that Hilary defrauded her of the said sum, which she took as a loan from a bank in Finland.

    Sources further disclosed that, Hilary who was formerly based in Turkey, made the Finnish woman to pay the sum of N178,000 into an account belonging to one of his cronies, Beggie, under the pretence that the money would be used for a business that would yield huge profits for  both of them.

    The source further revealed that after the woman waited endlessly for the said profits that  never came  , she was  forced to investigate who Marco Paulo was and she  discovered, that he was a Nigerian internet fraudster, disguising as an American soldier serving in Iraq.

    It was further revealed that the IGP, based on the petition, directed his  operatives at the IRT to trail and arrest all the  suspects involved in the scam.

    Hilary, who resides at the Dawanki Gwarimpa area of Abuja was picked up and he confessed that he had N8million in his account which was part of the proceeds.

    A Toyota Matrix car, a laptop and one Iphone handset were recovered from him.

    Hilary told the police during his confessions that he bought a landed property for N3 million and that he also rented an apartment for N880,000.

    Read also: Internet users in Nigeria hit 103.6 million in July – NCC

    He was quoted telling his interrogators that he spent “  two years in  Turkey and I was taught internet fraud, by one  Mr. Kalu who owns a cyber café.  What I specialized in was to provide account for fraudsters across the globe. The first person I provided an account for, is known as Peter and I also ventured into dating.”

    “The property  I have acquired from the business are Toyota Corolla 2014 model which I bought for N3.8million, a Toyota Matrix, which I bought for N1.6million. I also bought a land for N2million and I rented an apartment for N880,0000.

    “ The total money I have in my bank account is N8million. I am very sorry about the crime I have committed, therefore I am pleading for mercy from the police.

    “My facebook account has been blocked over my fraudulent activities.  I have defrauded so many white women using my facebook account, including one Rajii from Finland. I took a total of 178,000 euro from her. My own share was 82,000 euro”.

  • Internet fraudster knows fate tomorrow

    Justice Serifat Solebo, of Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos, has fixed tomorrow for judgment in a fraud case against a suspected Internet fraudster (yahoo-yahoo), Taiwo Michael Okunowo.

    Okunowo, with three aliases, “Holy Herlich”, “Mark Welsh” and “Steven Staller”, was initially arraigned on a one-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The charge reads: “Taiwo Michael Okunowo, aka ‘Holy Herlich’, ‘Mark Welsh’ and ‘Steven Staller’, on or about December 16, 2017 made a false document to wit Facebook, Government Compensation Winning Certificate, Treasure Grant Winners Certificate and Facebook-Brandon M. Mickey, with intent to use as genuine to the prejudice of anybody.”

    The offence is said to be contrary to Section 363 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No 11 of 2011.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    EFCC prosecutor Mr. Anselem Ozioko tendered Government Compensation Winning Certificate, Treasure Grant Winners Certificate and a Facebook account page of the defendant where he bears another name, as exhibit.

    But at the resumed hearing yesterday, counsel to the defendant, Mr. John Odubela (SAN), informed the court of his client’s intention to change his plea from not guilty to guilty.

    He said his client entered into a plea bargain agreement with EFCC.

    Ozioko, who confirmed the development, did not oppose the oral application.

    The prosecutor, reviewing facts of the case, said: “Based on intelligence tip-off about his suspicious activities and his syndicate, a convert operation was carried out by the EFCC on December 16 last year, whereupon the defendant was arrested alongside several of his partners in crime.

    “The defendant was taken to the Lagos Zonal Office of EFCC where he was processed and the items recovered from him, particularly his HP laptop, which was analysed through forensic examination of the EFCC ICT Lab.

    “The analysis showed that the defendant is an Internet fraudster popularly called ‘yahoo-yahoo’.

    “Documents containing false pretences were found in his possession and printed from his HP laptop, such as document containing conversation in which he falsely represented himself to Michael Smith as a white woman with the name Holly Herlich.”

    Ozioko asked the court to order the defendant to forfeit a Toyota Camry car, being proceeds of fraud and the HP laptop, being an equipment used to facilitate the forgery and fraudulent act.

    He urged the court to sentence the defendant to one year in prison, in accordance with terms of the plea bargain agreement.

    Justice Solebo adjourned the matter till tomorrow for judgment.

  • Alleged forgery: Internet fraudster knows fate Friday

    Justice Serifat Solebo has fixed Friday for judgment in the charge of fraud against an Internet fraudster and popular “yahoo-yahoo boy”, Taiwo Michael Okunowo.

    Taiwo Okunowo, who goes by three other aliases including “Holy Herlich, Mark Welsh and Steven Staller”, was initially arraigned before the court on a one count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The charge stated: ” Taiwo Michael Okunowo, a.k.a. “Holy Herlich, Mark Welsh and Steven Staller” on or about  December 16, 2017  made a false documents to wit Facebook, Government Compensation Winning Certificate, Treasure Grant Winners Certificate and Facebook-Brandon M. Mickey with intent to use as genuine to the prejudice of any people”.

    The offence is said to be contrary to section 363(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State no 11 of 2011.

    The defendant had pleaded not guilty.

    Read Also:Fraudster convicted of defrauding bank denied bail

    EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Anselem Ozioko had tendered Government Compensation Winning Certificate, Treasure Grant Winners Certificate and a Facebook account page of the defendant where he bears another name as exhibit before the court.

    But at resumed proceeding Wednesday, counsel to the defendant, Mr. John Odubela (SAN) informed the court of his client’s intention to change his plea from not guilty to guilty.

    He said that his client has entered into plea bargain agreement with the EFCC.

    Mr. Ozioko who confirmed the development did not opposed the oral application.

    He gave a review of facts of the case by the prosecution against the defendant.

    He said: “Based on the intelligence tip off of his suspicious activities and his syndicate, a convert operation was carried out by the EFCC on December 16 last year, whereupon the defendant was arrested alongside several of his partners in crime.

    “The defendant was taken to the Lagos Zonal Office of the EFCC where he was processed and the items recovered from him particularly his HP Laptop computer was analyzed through forensic examination of the EFCC ICT Lab.

    “The analysis revealed that the defendant is a carreer internet fraudster popularly known as ‘yahoo yahoo’.

    “Several documents containing false pretences were found in his possession and printed from his HP Laptop computer such as document containing conversation in which he falsely represented himself to one Michael Smith as a white female with the name Holly Herlich,” Ozioko said.

    He also asked the court to order the defendant to forfeit a Toyota Camry car, been proceed of fraud and the HP laptop been an instrument used to facilitate the forgery and fraud act.

    He urged the court to convict the defendant to one year imprisonment in accordance with the terms of the plea bargain agreement.

    After listen to submission of the counsels, Justice Solebo adjourned the matter till tomorrow for conviction and sentencing of the defendant.

  • Police arrests fraudster over admission racketeering

    Police arrests fraudster over admission racketeering

    Operatives of the Police Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested an undergraduate for allegedly defrauding university admission seekers.

    Mayaki Best, a 300- level student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, allegedly cloned the website of Lagos State College of Health Technology and duped several admission seekers of large sums of money.

    The police alleged that the suspect also impersonated the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) by pretending to be an auctioneer online.

    Best was apprehended at Auchi last Wednesday after he was tracked to Edo State following a petition by the Provost, Lagos State College of Health Technology, Dr. Moyo Kasim.

    According to the police, Dr. Kasim had petitioned the state police commissioner on the alleged fraudulent activity of a certain Dr. Odeh Philip Oteche, who cloned the website of the institution and requested varying sums of money from applicants.

    The petition was referred to the Commander RRS, Tunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner (ACP), with a copy of the cloned application and bank details which showed applicants paid N2,500 per form.

    Police said Best was arrested with three Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, one of which belonged to Otache Philip Odeh, the alleged owner of the fraudulent account.

    The two other ATM cards, the police said belonged to Abua Sunday. They said unfilled soft copies of Customs papers were also found in his possession.

    “In his confession to the police, Best said he was the brain behind the cloning of the institution’s website and had withdrawn series of deposits made to the accounts by different applicants.

    “He added that he veered into admission racketing when online Customs auction of automobile and seized items failed to yield expected returns. Apart from these, the suspect disclosed that he also used local and international dating platforms for scamming.

    “Through the cloned website, Best said he had collected deposits ranging from N2,500 to N157,000. He said one Charles and Ganiyu Balogun now at large were accomplices.

    “He stated that he opened Access Bank and UBA accounts with Sunday Abua for Nigerian Customs auction vehicles and goods.

    “He disclosed that the three facebook accounts of female Custom Officers he had been using and pictures of automobiles in display were sourced from Google,” the police said.

    The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence (SCIID), Panti, Yaba.