Cybercrime: INTERPOL Abuja Nab Three High-tech Suspects
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Nigeria Police on Sunday announced the arrest of three high-tech suspect that specialized in cybercrime crime by its Operatives of Cybercrime Unit, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB).
The three suspects are namely Samson Inegbenesun 30years, Blessed Junior 32years and Muhammed Zakari 36years, all male from Uromi in Edo State.
The offences of the arrested suspects include advance fee fraud, money laundering and romance scam.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba said that the suspects were arrested at Uromi, following investigations into suspected fraudulent online procurement and supply of COVID-19 protective mask, received through the INTERPOL NCB Wiesbaden, Germany.
DCP Mba said that investigations has so far revealed that Samson Inegbenosun is an internet fraudster and a member of a Turkey-based online scamming syndicate, adding that he supplies foreign and local bank accounts to receive fraudulent funds and use same as conduit to other feeder accounts.
The Police said they have recovered from him, a building apartment worth N20,000,000.00, a Toyota RAV-4 2015 model worth N6,500,000.00 and a Toyota Matrix 2002 model valued at N2,000,000.00 which he procured with the proceeds of the crime.
Mba also said that the second suspect, Blessed Junior, returned to Nigeria from Italy in February, 2020 but maintains close contacts and illicit dealings with his Italian associates, adding that investigations revealed that he has made over One Hundred and Twenty Million Naira (N120,000,000.00) from internet fraud and other cybercrime dealings.
Mba further said; “He also received the sum of 52,000 EUROs recently from his criminal associates in Italy as commission for his active involvement in an international cybercrime deal. He also owns a filling station established with the proceeds of the crime.
“Mohammed Zakari, an expert in internet fraud, identity theft and impersonation, falsely claims to be a British citizen. He also poses to be one Kelly Galk on online dating apps which he uses to carry out romance scams and to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, locally and internationally. “Investigation reveals he has made millions of naira from his illicit cybercrime transactions since he joined the syndicate”.
