ABUJA COURT JAILS MAN SEVEN YEARS FOR DEFRAUDING AMERICAN WOMAN OF $205,238

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By ‘Sefiu Ajape

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has sentenced Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley to seven years’ imprisonment for defrauding an American woman, Nicole Kierulff Sayers, of $205,238 (N276 million) under false pretence.

Justice U.P. Kekemeke convicted Kingsley on Thursday, October 29, 2026, following his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count amended charge bordering on possession of a document containing false pretence and obtaining money by false pretence.

The court sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on each count, without an option of fine, with both sentences to run concurrently at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.

It also ordered Kingsley to restitute Sayers the sum of $205,238.

The charges were linked to a purported contract with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. One count accused Kingsley of possessing a fake notice of intent to award a contract allegedly issued in his name by the ministry, while the other accused him of obtaining the money from Sayers under the false pretence that it was required to finance a government contract.

Testifying before the court, Sayers, an American lawyer based in Oregon, United States, said Kingsley first contacted her through Facebook on her birthday.

“I know the defendant. The defendant messaged me on Facebook on my birthday and he said he was a member of the same spiritual organization as me,” she told the court.

According to Sayers, their conversations later developed into a romantic relationship, which made her trust Kingsley and believe his claims.

She said Kingsley subsequently requested money from her, claiming he needed funds to facilitate the award of a government contract by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.

The witness alleged that Kingsley told her some men were threatening his life because he had failed to provide the money required to secure the contract.

She said he supplied details of the purported contract, including a logo and other information, which she believed because of the emotional attachment she had developed to him.

According to her testimony, Kingsley initially requested $15,000, promising to repay the money within 45 days. She said she transferred the funds to him through a money transfer application.

Sayers further told the court that Kingsley later introduced her to members of his family during a video call, during which they allegedly thanked her for helping him secure the purported contract.

She said she had transferred approximately $40,000 to Kingsley before travelling to Nigeria to meet him in person.

The witness told the court that she arrived in Abuja in March 2022 and spent two weeks with Kingsley at his rented house in Sun City, Abuja.

She said she continued the relationship because she wanted to recover the money she had already transferred to him.

Sayers further alleged that Kingsley subsequently requested additional funds for various purposes, including medical emergencies, surgeries, malaria treatment and supplies for the purported government contract.

She testified that the requests involved more than 125 transactions and that, by her estimate, she transferred well over $200,000 to him within 12 months.

The American lawyer also told the court that Kingsley presented her with a document he claimed showed that he had attempted to transfer $10,000 to her.

According to Sayers, Kingsley claimed that the bank had intercepted the transaction because the money was allegedly linked to the misappropriation of government funds.

She said he further claimed that the alleged incident had resulted in his arrest and detention.

The witness also alleged that Kingsley asked her to provide money for his bail and for bribes connected to the purported criminal case.

The court subsequently convicted Kingsley on the two counts and ordered him to refund the $205,238 to Sayers.