from OKORO CHINEDU in Lagos, Nigeria
LAGOS, (CAJ News) – NIGERIA’S anti-corruption commission has secured the conviction of a tertiary student who defrauded an American woman of US$15 000 (R224 672) in a romance scam.
Okoro Tochukwu Joseph, a final year student at the Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Enugu, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment for impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.
This followed his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the Federal High Court in the southeastern Enugu State.
The court heard how in March this year Joseph, representing himself to be Donald Wood or Kennedy Lordan, a financial investor in crypto currency, lured his victim, Lisa Spitler.
He used false pictures of white men to create fraudulent Hangout and Instagram accounts.
Joseph pleaded guilty to the charge, punishable under Nigeria’s Cyber Crimes Act of 2015.
Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie sentenced him accordingly.
Aside the prison term, the convict is to restitute the sum of $15 000 to his victim.
Online fraud is rife in Nigeria.
It is mainly perpetrated by youths, commonly known as the Yahoo Boys.
– CAJ News