The EFCC has collected $13,204 from Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley, a Nigerian man on trial for online fraud and arranging a false marriage with an American woman.
Kingsley was arrested in Abuja on February 15, 2023, for allegedly falsely marrying and scamming Nicole Kierulff Sayers.
Sayers claimed that the defendant duped her into a sham marriage and cheated her of her $370,000 funds.
Kingsley was then arraigned before a high court in Maitama, Abuja, in March 2023 on allegations of online fraud.
The presiding judge, U.P. Kekemeke, arraigned him on two counts of theft, acquiring by false pretense, and illegal possession of fraudulent documents.
On Tuesday, Okanne Kelechi, a prosecution witness (PW2) in the trial, informed Kekemeke that the EFCC had recovered $13,204.00 from the defendant.
A block of land in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, as well as a Lexus Ex 350 and Toyota Venza automobiles, were also seized from the defendant.
The witness, who was led in evidence by Fatsuma Muhammad, the prosecution counsel, revealed that “various fraudulent profiles in Linkedin which he admitted to creating” are among the evidence against the defendant.
Kelechi stated that a bogus contract award letter had been printed from his phone.
“The same letter was sent to his American victim in chats claiming that the contract was awarded to him by the Federal government,” he went on to say.
Kelechi informed the court that the inquiry comprised sending a letter of investigation into the defendant’s conduct to the EFCC’s forensic department, various local banks, and the federal ministry of works and housing, with the alleged contract award letter attached.
He further told the court that a statement from the federal ministry of works and housing suggested that the award was not legitimate.
The defendant admitted to sending the fraudulent contract award letter to Sayers and other international victims.
“We received our report from the Forensic Department, along with our results on his devices. Nicole, the victim, also provided documentation of transactions received from overseas money transfer operators. Other examinations revealed that a portion of this money was transferred to his bank account, which was overseen by his sister, Nwachi Doris Chinenye,” he claimed.
A certificate of identification, a notice of nominal complaint with copies of the intent to award the contract, and an iPhone 11Pro Max were all presented as evidence against the defendant. The PW2 further informed the court that after confronting the defendant with the facts, his lawyers reacted with a letter requesting a plea bargain.
Kekemeke delayed the case until April 30, 2024, to continue the trial.
