By TSJ Reporter
Five internet fraudsters were convicted and sentenced to various prison terms by Justice Rosemary Dugbo-Oghoghorie at the Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday. The convicts, identified as Michael Aregbesola (a.k.a Amin Deera), Adeleke Toba Richard (alias Jason Avtandil), Mkpoikanke Emmanuel Udoh (alias Tom Jones), Gideon Mishell Effiong (alias Gianluca Jinoble), and Momodu John Modupe (alias George Woods), were charged with criminal impersonation, fraudulent messaging, and money laundering.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought the charges against them for defrauding individuals through cybercrimes, with evidence linking them to fraudulent activities and possession of proceeds from illegal acts. The charges, which were presented by prosecution counsel Kharmis Mahmud, included possession of foreign currencies obtained through fraud, such as $500 from an American woman and 500 Euros from a European victim.
Effiong and Richard both pleaded guilty to the charges, while Aregbesola, Udoh, and Modupe also admitted to the charges against them. The court sentenced the defendants as follows: Effiong received four years on each of the two counts, with an option to pay €2,500 in fines and restitution of €500 to his victim. Richard was sentenced to seven years on each count, also with an option to pay a fine of $2,500 and restitution of $500. Aregbesola and Udoh were sentenced to seven years or a fine of N5 million each, while Modupe received four years in prison with an option to pay N5 million as a fine.
The EFCC investigated the defendants based on their suspicious online activities and lavish lifestyles. The court admitted evidence, including fraudulent documents found on their gadgets, before convicting them. This case highlights ongoing efforts by the EFCC to combat cybercrime and online fraud in Nigeria.