They were prosecuted on separate one-count charge, bordering on money laundering, impersonation and cybercrime.
Seven fraudsters have been jailed after being arrested by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The seven suspects were convicted by Justices R.M.Aikawa and Hauwa'u Buhari of the Federal High Court, Kaduna and Justice A. Isiaka of the State High Court.
The convicts are: Agbecha Fanem Samson (a.k.a Michelle Pfeiffer), Shamsudeen Abdulkarim Alubankudi, (a.k.a. Keren Adler), Paul Bukar Wadai (a.k.a. Odd Murphy), Onomza Emmanuel Gwamna (a.k.a. Dave Owen), Godswill Victor Effiong, Esogban Godtemple (a.k.a Lahm Moses and Odeyale Victor (a.k.a Candice Weiss).
They were prosecuted on separate one-count charge, bordering on money laundering, impersonation and cybercrime.
The charge against Samson reads: “That you Agbecha Fanem Samson (a.k.a Michelle Pfeiffer) sometime between March and August, 2024 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, retained the total sum of N20,554,781.84 (Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty One Naira and Eighty four Kobo) only from one Johnson Aka Wolfman (a United States of America Citizen) which funds you knew form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, and thereby committed money laundering an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
That of Alubankudi reads: “That you, Shamsudeen Abdulkarim Alubankudi, (a.k.a. Keren Adler), male, sometimes in 2024 at Zaria, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, falsely represented yourself as Keren Adler; an FBI undercover agent, duly Certified Ethical White-Hat Hacker and a scam recovery agent on 'facebook' (an online social media application) and in such assumed character cheated one Charlene Landrum who lives in Albany, Oregon United States of America of the sum of $301.00USD (Three Hundred and One United States Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to their charges, prompting prosecution counsel, M.E. Eimonye and M.J Argungu to pray the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Victor and Gwamna were sentenced to two years imprisonment respectively with an option to pay a fine of N600,000.00 each. Effiong and Alubankudi were sentenced to three years imprisonment each with an option to pay a fine of N700,000.00
(Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) and N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) respectively. Samson and Godtemple were sentenced to five years imprisonment each with an option to pay a fine of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) and 600,000.00 (Six Hundred Thousand Naira) respectively. And Wadai was sentenced to seven years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N700,000.00 00 (Seven Hundred Thousand Naira). In addition to their prison terms, they forfeited their phones and a computer, being tools of their crimes to the federal government. Also forfeited was a Lexus car and proceeds of crime traced to their bank accounts.
The convicts were arrested in Minna, Niger State following credible intelligence on their fraudulent internet activities.