In a major crackdown on international cyber fraud, Kolkata Police’s Cyber Crime Department arrested three Nigerian nationals from Delhi in connection with a Rs1.1 crore scam involving fake kola nut trading.
The accused — Peter Mercy Olawumi alias Sofia (23), Kimekwu Kawilings (39), and Alexander Success Divine (23) — were allegedly running a sophisticated fraud operation from a residence in Chander Vihar, Outer Delhi. All three were residing illegally in India and used digital deception to target Indian victims.
According to police, the trio posed as officials from Abbott Pharmaceutical UK and the World Health Organization (WHO). They used forged email IDs, fake WhatsApp messages, and fabricated documents to convince a Kolkata-based businessman to invest in a bogus kola nut trading scheme, promising high returns.
Investigators tracked the fraud through digital footprints that led to:
UK-based WhatsApp numbers
Accessed via an Infinix X6525D smartphone
IP addresses traced to Nigeria, but masked with Delhi-based Jio network access, suggesting the use of VPNs/proxies
On August 2, 2025, Kolkata cyber sleuths, in coordination with Delhi police, conducted a raid between 5:16 am and 7:02 am at a property in Union Bank Gali 17, Chander Vihar, Nilothi. The operation led to the seizure of:
12 Android smartphones
3 keypad mobiles
1 Wi-Fi router
1 laptop loaded with counterfeit WHO and Abbott letterheads and scam-related communication
All three accused were arrested from the site and charged under multiple provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
And a senior investigating officer stated, “This isn’t just a local scam — it’s part of a larger international cybercrime syndicate. We are following leads to trace more accomplices, both domestic and international.”
Authorities are also working with international agencies to investigate cross-border digital infrastructure used in the scam and the potential laundering of stolen funds.
