Aluko Tunmise, a well-known social media influencer and model, was sentenced to one-year imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday for cybercrime offenses. The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Tunmise on a one-count charge of cybercrime, specifically for impersonating a celebrity to commit fraud.
The charge detailed that Tunmise falsely represented himself as the famous actor “Keanu Reeves” on his Telegram account between January and March 2024. This fraudulent identity was used to deceive others into issuing financial instruments for his benefit, in violation of Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
Upon being arraigned, Tunmise pleaded guilty to the charge. The prosecution, led by C.C. Okezie, presented evidence including forensic data recovered from Tunmise’s phone, an iPhone 12 Pro Max, which was seized during his arrest in March 2024 at Lekki County Estate, Lagos, following intelligence from the EFCC. Tunmise confessed during his investigation that he had been involved in a celebrity scam, where he impersonated well-known figures for financial gains.
The court heard that Tunmise was a first-time offender, and his counsel, A.O. Idowu, pleaded for leniency, requesting a non-custodial sentence. However, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke convicted Tunmise and sentenced him to one year in prison. The judge also granted an option for a fine of N300,000 (three hundred thousand Naira) and 100 hours of community service. Additionally, Tunmise’s mobile phone was ordered to be forfeited to the Nigerian government.
Tunmise’s conviction serves as a stern reminder of the dangers of cybercrime and fraudulent activity, especially in the age of social media, where impersonation is increasingly used to deceive and exploit unsuspecting individuals.
