Man Bags Two Years Jail Term For Defrauding American Of $345,000
For defrauding an American citizen of $345,000, one Chima Nkwocha, popularly called ‘Young Billionaire’, has been sentenced to two years jail term by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following his arrest on August 2024, Nkwocha was arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on two count charges bordering on impersonation and fraud to which he pleaded guilty.
A statement by the anti-graft agency on Wednesday presented the charges thus; “That you, Chima Hyginus Nkwocha (AKA Frank Nils, Frank Cobert, Frank Brown and Chettot), sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently impersonate Frank Nils, Frank Cobert, Frank Brown, and Chiress Riffatt on Gmail and Google Voice using the Gmail addresses frankcorbett272@gmail.com and chriressrifatt@gmail.com with intent to defraud, fraudulently obtaining a cumulative sum of $345,000 from Linda Wheeler, an American, and receiving the naira equivalent through Ginux Global Nigeria Limited with account No. 1228782493 domiciled in Zenith Bank, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 22(2) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(4) of the Act.”
During the trial, the prosecuting counsel, Lanre Olanrewaju, had presented before the court exhibits such as a black Mercedes Benz, two gold necklaces with pendants, one gold bracelet, $2,200 cash, and N90,280,934.00 in the Ginux Global Nigeria Ltd Zenith Bank (account no. 1228782493), for which Nkwocha was the sole signatory.
Others include a three-bedroom terrace duplex, a three-bedroom bungalow and two self-contained apartments, a plot of land measuring about 300 square metres, two Zenith Bank drafts worth N8,000,000, and assorted phones.
Following his guilty plea, the EFCC noted that Justice Nwite convicted the defendant and sentenced him to two years imprisonment with the option of an N2m fine.
The statement said; “Justice Nwite, satisfied with the EFCC’s submissions, found Nkwocha guilty. The court sentenced him to two years imprisonment with an option of a fine of N2,000,000.
“Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of the following items, being proceeds of crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria: a black Mercedes Benz ML 350, gold jewellery and $2,200 cash, N90,280,934.00 in the Ginux Global Nigeria Ltd Zenith Bank account, properties in Lagos, Abuja, and Lekki, the Zenith Bank drafts and the electronic devices recovered from the convict”.
The EFCC statement conveyed that the Court also ordered the forfeiture of all assets seized from the convict.
