Three individuals have been convicted for internet and financial fraud by courts in Kaduna State, following prosecutions by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The convicted persons — Justine Richard, Sadiq Ibrahim, and Anthony Musa — were found guilty of separate offences ranging from online impersonation to banking fraud.
Justine Richard was arraigned before Justice M.J. Zailani of the Kaduna State High Court on a one-count charge of impersonation. According to the EFCC, between January and June 2025, Richard posed as “Luke Grimes” on Facebook to defraud unsuspecting victims. He pleaded guilty and was fined ₦300,000. His Samsung Galaxy A10S, which was used in committing the crime, was ordered forfeited to the federal government.
In a separate case, Sadiq Ibrahim appeared before Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, on charges of internet-related fraud. He was accused of impersonating a fictional American woman named “Laura Farms” in April 2025 to scam people via Facebook. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to five years in prison with an option to pay a ₦300,000 fine. His Samsung Galaxy S10e was also forfeited. Ibrahim had been arrested in the Mahuta area of Kaduna following intelligence reports on cybercrime operations.
Anthony Musa, a former staff member of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), was arraigned before Justice A. Isyaka of the Kaduna State High Court for diverting ₦2.3 million from the bank in January 2025. The EFCC said Musa manipulated internal banking systems to credit the funds to himself. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison or a ₦100,000 fine. His arrest followed a petition by GTBank, which had flagged fraudulent transactions involving several employees. Two others linked to the case were previously convicted.
The EFCC has reiterated its commitment to pursuing fraudsters and safeguarding the public from economic crimes. According to the agency, these convictions demonstrate the importance of continued vigilance and legal action in tackling both cyber and financial fraud across Nigeria.
