20-Year-Old Internet Fraudster Jailed 1 Month Over $150 Love Scam

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Tuesday, July 6th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin, on Monday, sentenced one Oke Gideon 20, to one month imprisonment for Internet fraud and romance scam.

The trial judge, Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar, said Gideon was convicted and sentenced based on his confessional statement, his guilty plea to the charges and the exhibits tendered against him before the court.

In passing sentence, the judge, however, granted him an option of a N50,000 fine but ordered the seizure of his iPhone 6 and HP laptop, being the devices used for the crime.

He further ordered the forfeiture of the exhibits to the Federal Government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the convict, following intelligence reports on his nefarious activities.

EFCC Prosecutor, Mr Sesan Ola, had earlier told the court that the convict was profiled and had offered statements, admitting to the crime.

“In his confessional statement, dated May 6, Gideon admitted that he engaged in dating scams, love scams and other Internet fraud related offences,” he said.

The prosecutor also said that the convict, arraigned on Friday on a two-count charge, had pleaded guilty to the charges, which included acting falsely as Jenna Cherry, a female from Las Vegas, U.S, between August 2020 and September 2020, to obtain gifts worth $150 from one Bradley Miller.

It was to him that knowing what he did was false constituted an offence punishable under Section 1 (3) of Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related Offences Act, 2006. (NAN)