The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, have arrested a suspected
teenage internet fraudster, Tobechukwu Igbokwe,
and his accomplice, Ifeanyi Obi for allegedly
defrauding an American of $40 million.
The suspects, who were arraigned before Justice
Lawal of a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, on a
12-count charge bordering on forgery,
conspiracy and obtaining money by false
pretences contrary to Sections 8(a) and 1(3) of
the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related
Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, were remanded in
prison custody pending their bail hearing.
Igbokwe, 19-year-old secondary school leaver,
was alleged to have duped his victims, many of
them foreigners, of huge sums through the
internet under fraudulent guises.
He allegedly worked in concert with Obi to dupe
an American, Micheal Silva, of $40 million in an
inheritance scam.
Silva was made to believe that Igbokwe and his
accomplice had a huge inheritance that they
wanted to move to a foreign account for
safekeeping.
The victim was asked to send money to
“process” the transfer and in the process, he
wired $40 million in installments through
Western Union Transfer to Igbokwe and Obi.
Other victims
Igbokwe also confessed that he had duped other
foreigners among them a Tommy Bedwell, who
lost $6,000 to him and Richard Hunt, $15,000.
One of the charges against Igbokwe and Obi
read: “Tobechukwu Igbokwe (alias David Prince,
alias John Emma, sometimes in the month of
October 2011 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial
Division, with intent to defraud, obtained $800,
$700, $200, $400, $200, $300, $500, $500,
$500, $200 (totaling $5,500).
“Which sum you obtained separately from
Michael Silva of the United States of America
under false pretence that the money represent
part payment for processing inheritance funds
due him as a beneficiary of the fund and which
pretence you knew was false.”
When the charges were read to them, the
defendants pleaded not guilty.
EFCC counsel, Fadeke Giwa prayed the court for
a trial date and to remand the accused persons
in prison custody.
However, counsel to the first defendant, D. A.
Omougbai, asked for a short date to file his bail
application.
Also, counsel to the second defendant, D. A.
Eimuejel, prayed the court to accept the bail
application he filed on behalf of his client.
Justice Akapo, however, adjourned the matter
till December 3 and ordered that the defendants
be remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos.
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