EFCC SECURES 24-MONTH JAIL TERM FOR 23-YEAR-OLD SERIAL INTERNET FRAUDSTER IN N124M CYBERCRIME CASE

Read Time:1 Minute, 11 Second

By Aishat Momoh. O.

In a major win for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in its intensified fight against cybercrime, Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Ilorin, has sentenced a 23-year-old Internet fraudster, Adebisi Emmanuel Olalekan, to 24 months in prison without the option of fine.

Olalekan, a native of Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti State, was convicted on two counts of cybercrime, including impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence. The EFCC, through its Ilorin Zonal Directorate, prosecuted the case following a report from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps on Olalekan’s cybercriminal activities.

Between August and December 2024, Olalekan used fake Gmail and TextPlus accounts to impersonate foreign nationals, including one Joshua Campbell Novak, through which he defrauded multiple victims, notably collecting $100,000 from Allisa Motazedi and $1,000 from Brittany Boggess.

Following his guilty plea, EFCC counsel Sesan Ola presented evidence through an investigating officer, Paul Aniebonam, who detailed Olalekan’s fraudulent operations. The court heard that the convict used proceeds from his crimes to purchase a white Mercedes Benz ML350 worth N30 million and had over N124 million traced to his Wema Bank account.

Justice Awogboro sentenced Olalekan to 12 months imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.

The court also ordered the final forfeiture of the Mercedes Benz, iPhone 14 Pro Max, and N124,402,322 in the convict’s account to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Happy
Happy
0 %
Sad
Sad
0 %
Excited
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
Angry
0 %
Surprise
Surprise
0 %