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More Than 70% Of Nigerian Youth Might Soon Become Ex-Convicts - EFCC

Olufemi David OLUFEMI DAVID - Saturday, August 28, 2021

More Than 70% Of Nigerian Youth Might Soon Become Ex-Convicts - EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said more than 70 per cent of Nigerian youth might soon become ex-convicts if the present high rate of their involvement in cybercrime was not stopped.

This is as the Benin Zonal Command of the agency, yesterday, secured the conviction of three cyber criminals before Justice A. T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting Port Harcourt, Rivers State, bringing to 33 the number of internet fraud convictions recorded by the zone within 24 hours.

The Ilorin zonal commander of the EFCC, Mr. Usman Muktar, while speaking with journalists on the state of the nation, decried the high rate of cybercrime among youths and enjoined every stakeholder in the country to discourage the youths from internet fraud.

Muktar, who said the EFCC had witnessed an increasing number of arrest of Nigerian youths in cybercrime in recent time, charged parents to ask their children questions about sources of their wealth.

“When your children, who are in schools stopped asking you for money for upkeep or driving expensive cars, parents should ask questions. Unfortunately, some parents support these youth in internet fraud. They say it’s oyinbo money. How does that turn to be your money?”, he asked.

Fake EFCC Agent Arrested For Seizing N38 Million From Yahoo Boys

Olufemi David OLUFEMI DAVID - Friday, August 27, 2021

Fake EFCC Agent Arrested For Seizing N38 Million From Yahoo Boys

A man has been arrested for fraudulently obtaining N38 million from suspected internet fraudsters.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Ladeji Kelvin Babatunde in Lagos, according to a statement released on Thursday, August 26, 2021

The agency said the suspect pretended to be one of its agents to fool the suspected cybercriminals.

A timeline of his crime was not provided, but he allegedly used the N38 million loot to develop a four-bedroom uncompleted apartment located at Ikola Road, Alagbado, Lagos.

The property was recovered from him by the EFCC, and the suspect will be arraigned soon.

EFCC - How To Properly Write A Petition To The Agency

Olufemi David OLUFEMI DAVID - Saturday, August 14, 2021

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC this morning via its Facebook page, educated Nigerians on how to write a proper petition to the commission.

According to the post, every petition should be addressed to the chairman of the antigraft agency.

The petition must also have the name, telephone number and address of the petitioner as well as the title of the petition.

Furthermore, the petition must have an introduction and then the body of the complaint which must have facts, documents, and sources of information.

The petition must also have a conclusion and then the name of the petitioner as well as the signature of the petitioner.

Mompha: EFCC Does Not Advise Suspect of Crime

Olufemi David OLUFEMI DAVID - Monday, August 02, 2021

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to dissociate itself from claims by Ismaila Mustapha, alias Mompha, currently circulating in the social media, that he was advised by the Commission to maintain a low profile in the wake of the indictment of his friend, Abbas Ramon alias Hushpuppi in a $1.1m international fraud conspiracy by US Law enforcement.

The claim which did not mention the official of the Commission who supposedly gave the advice, is spurious and should be discountenanced.

The Commission is not in the business of advising suspected internet fraudsters and it is far-fetched that it would counsel one against whom it has pending criminal charge in court.

Mompha and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited are facing prosecution by the EFCC on a 22-count charge alleging various offences such as retention of proceeds of unlawful activities to wit; fraud, failure to report transaction to the Commission as required by the provision of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended), negotiating foreign exchange without license, contrary to Section 5 and 29 of the Foreign Exchange Monitoring and Miscellaneous (Provisions) Act, 2004; engaging in foreign exchange transaction other than through the official foreign exchange market, contrary to provision of Section 11(1) (a) of the National Economic Intelligence Establishment Act to the tune of N32billion before Justice A. M. Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The Commission had called 10 witnesses and closed its case. But rather than enter his defense, Mompha filed a no-case submission which was overruled by the Court and called upon to open his defense.

I Was Adviced To Maintain Low Profile After FBI Arrested Hushpuppy - Mompha

Olufemi David OLUFEMI DAVID - Monday, August 02, 2021

Popular Nigerian socialite and Bureau De Change operator, Ismail Mustapha alias Mompha said he was contacted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after Hushpuppi was arrested.

Mompha stated this on Saturday night after appearing on Daddy Freeze’s Instagram LIVE.

He said he was told by EFCC to delete his social media page and maintain a low profile after the incident.

Ramon Abbass aka Hushpuppi was arrested by the FBI in Dubai and is facing criminal charges in the United States of conspiracy to launder money obtained through fraud.

However, Mompha said Hushpuppi’s downfall came as a result of his stubbornness and high-handedness.

”When you are big, you are big. I was with FBI agents one-on-one on October 19, 2020. They questioned me but couldn’t find any incriminating evidence.

”Remember that I was the one that brought Hushpuppi from Malaysia, since his arrest, people on social media have said that I will be arrested next. Some even go as far as tagging EFCC and FBI”.

”On the day Hush was arrested, I received a lot of calls and tags from different people. EFCC had to call me directly to close down my social media and maintain a low profile”.

”My case with EFCC was because someone felt the need to punish a big boy like me, all because of BDC’. Nigerians on social media love to gossip and bad luck for rich people.

”And it’s not my fault that I come from a rich home, I have even hustled all my life,” Mompha said.

Court Convicts Son, Mother, Girlfriend for $902,935 Internet Fraud in Asaba

Olufemi David OLUFEMI DAVID - Friday, July 23, 2021

Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State on Thursday, July 22 convicted and sentenced Gift Kenneth, Dora Animam and Spice Chimzi Dandy Igwe to prison for internet-related fraud.

Kenneth, his biological mother, Animam and girlfriend, Igwe were arraigned on one count charge each by the Benin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for offences bordering on impersonation and obtaining by false pretences. They were said to have conspired to defraud an American lady, Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson of an aggregate sum of $902,935

The charge against Gift Kenneth reads: "that you Gift Kenneth (a.k.a Raymond Carl Eric ) on or about the year 2018 and 2019 at Agbor within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently impersonate the identity of one Raymond Carl Eric by which you propose an Infrastructural Investment Project to one Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson living in Texas, United States of America and thereby induced her to transfer the aggregate sum of $ 902,935 through various third parties’ ( Shuaibu Abdullahi and Dora Animam ) Bank accounts which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22 (2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition and Prevention, Etc ) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(IV) of the same Act”.

The charge against Dora Animam reads: "that you Dora Animam on or about the year 2018 and 2019 at Agbor within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did aid Gift Kenneth ( a.k.a Raymond Carl Eric ) with your Diamond Bank account Number: 0097188910 and Access Bank account Number: 00928225267 to receive an aggregate sum of $166,000 from one Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson living in Texas and N27,000,000, from Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson and Shuaibu Abdullahi respectively being part of the fund transferred by Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson for your fraudulent proposed Infrastructural Investment Project and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 27(1)(b) and 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(IV) of the same Act”.

Upon arraignment, they all pleaded guilty to the charge.

In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Francis. A.Jirbo prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.

Justice Olubanjo convicted and sentenced both Gift Kenneth and his mother, Dora Animam to five years imprisonment or a fine of Three Million Naira each while Spice Chimzi Dandy Igwe was sentenced to two years imprisonment or a fine of One Hundred Thousand Naira.

The Court also ordered all items recovered during the investigation which included Mercedes Benz CL250, Mercedes Benz 300, iPhone I1 Promax, iPhone XX Max, Apple Mac book Pro, 2 Apple Mac book, N4, 000,000 found in his account, Twin 4 bedroom uncompleted duplex in Asaba, the cash sum of N4, 000,000 found on him and $ 4,255 recovered from his contractor, forfeited and restituted to the victim through the American Embassy.

Source : EFCC

EFCC breaks into Lagos hotel, arrests 30 over fraud

Olufemi David OLUFEMI DAVID - Wednesday, July 14, 2021

No fewer than 30 suspects have been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission during a raid on Parktonian Hotel in the Lekki area of Lagos State.

During the raid on Tuesday, the operatives were alleged to have gained entry into the occupants’ rooms by seizing the master cards from the management of the hotel at gunpoint.

When the operatives gained entry into the rooms, it was learnt that some of the occupants were naked under the duvet as the operatives interrogated the occupants.

One of the victims, while lamenting the invasion, told the Peoples Gazette, “I was naked, and I had to beg them (for me) to put something on. I am actually hypertensive, but I put myself together because I am not a criminal in any way.”

An eyewitness told the Peoples Gazette, “They broke into the hotel and threatened to shoot the receptionists and management workers if they didn’t immediately release the master access card to them. So, the hotel workers had to comply immediately.”

According to the newspaper, it was learnt that no fewer than 13 guests were whisked away by the EFCC operatives during the raid.

During a telephone interview with a representative of the Parktonian Hotel, who simply identified himself as Christian, he told The PUNCH correspondent that he was not aware of the incident.

He said, “I am not in the right place to talk to you; it is the manager that can talk to you. I just resumed this evening; I have been off for some days and I just resumed today. I don’t know what you are talking about.”

However, when contacted, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the operatives acted on verified intelligence targeted at suspects at Parktonian Hotel, adding that 30 suspects were arrested during the raid.

He said, “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, acting on verified intelligence, carried out a sting operation targeted at cybercrime suspects at Parktonian Hotel in the Lekki area of Lagos State in the early hours of Tuesday.

“During the exercise, 30 suspects were arrested. Of this number, 24 have been established to be involved in internet-related fraud. The operation was executed without incident as the facility had been under surveillance for weeks during which the commission was able to isolate the rooms where the suspects were lodged.

“Access to the rooms was seamless as the commission has standard procedure for accessing such facilities without application of force or discomfort to guests. No guest of the hotel was molested.

“But the commission observes a disturbing trend in which cybercrime suspects now employ kept ladies who feign nakedness as a decoy to distract operatives of the commission to enable them to destroy incriminating evidence before arrest.”

Credit: PUNCH

Labels : EFCC