INTERNET FRAUDSTER SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR MONEY LAUNDERING
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced that it has successfully secured the conviction of Chima Hyginus Nkwocha, also referred to as “Young Billionaire,” for crimes involving impersonation and money laundering.
The Commission shared this information in a statement released on its official X handle on Thursday.
The EFCC explained that Nkwocha was brought before Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, facing two charges related to impersonation and money laundering, to which he pleaded guilty when they were presented.
Prosecution lawyer, Lanre Adeola Olanrewaju, informed the court that Nkwocha was apprehended in August 2024 in the Lugbe area of Abuja after the EFCC’s Advanced Fee Fraud Section acted on received intelligence.
Olanrewaju further stated that during the arrest, several items were seized, including a black Mercedes Benz ML 350 with registration number B-2 and chassis number 4JGDA5HB9DA105827, two gold necklaces with pendants, one gold bracelet, $2,200 in cash, and N90,280,934.00 from the Ginux Global Nigeria Ltd Zenith Bank account (account no. 1228782493).
Other items confiscated from Nkwocha included a three-bedroom terrace duplex at Cookies Court 2, Ocean Palm Estate, Ogombo, Sangotedo, Lagos; a three-bedroom bungalow and two self-contained apartments on Plot B023, Standard Estate, Galadima, Abuja; a 300-square-meter plot of land at Eko Beach City, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; two Zenith Bank drafts worth N5,000,000 and N3,000,000, dated September 12, 2024, and October 17, 2024; as well as electronic devices including an iPhone 13 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
The EFCC revealed that Nkwocha admitted in court to impersonating individuals such as Frank Nils, Frank Cobert, Frank Brown, and Chiress Riffatt through Gmail and Google Voice to deceive Linda Wheeler, an American, out of $345,000.
After reviewing the EFCC’s case, Justice Nwite found Nkwocha guilty and sentenced him to two years in prison, with an alternative fine of N2,000,000.
The court also ordered the confiscation of the following items, deemed proceeds of crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria: a black Mercedes Benz ML 350, gold jewelry and $2,200 in cash, N90,280,934.00 in the Ginux Global Nigeria Ltd Zenith Bank account, properties in Lagos, Abuja, and Lekki, the Zenith Bank drafts, and the electronic devices seized from Nkwocha.
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