The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered $13,204 from Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley, a Nigerian man facing trial over alleged internet fraud and arranging a fake marriage with an American woman.
Kingsley was arrested on February 15, 2023, in Abuja for allegedly marrying Nicole Kierulff Sayers falsely and defrauding her in the process.
Sayers alleged that the defendant lured her into a false marriage and defrauded her of her savings which amounted to $370,000.
Kingsley was thereafter arraigned before a high court in Maitama, Abuja in March 2023 on charges bordering on internet fraud.
He was arraigned before U.P. Kekemeke, the presiding judge, on two counts bordering on stealing, obtaining by false pretence, and criminal possession of fake documents.
On Tuesday, Okanne Kelechi, a second prosecution witness (PW2) in the trial, told Kekemeke that the EFCC had recovered the sum of $13,204.00 from the defendant.
Also recovered from the defendant is a plot of land in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, a Lexus Ex 350, and Toyota Venza cars.
The witness, who was led in evidence by Fatsuma Muhammad, the prosecution counsel, disclosed that among the evidence against the defendant are “various fraudulent profiles in Linkedin which he admitted to creating”.
Kelechi claimed there was also a fraudulent contract award letter printed from his phone.
“The same letter was sent to his American victim in chats claiming that the contract was awarded to him by the Federal government,” he added.
Kelechi told the court that investigation into the matter involved writing a letter of investigation of the defendant’s activities to the forensic department of the EFCC, several local banks as well as the federal ministry of works and housing, with the purported contract award letter attached.
He further told the court that a response from the federal ministry of works and housing indicated that the award was not genuine.
The defendant admitted sending the fake contract award letter to Sayers and other foreign victims.
“We received our report from the Forensic Department and our findings for his gadgets. The victim, Nicole, also sent evidence of transactions received from international money transfer operators. From other analyses, we discovered that part of this money was sent into his bank account supervised by his sister, one Nwachi Doris Chinenye,” he said.
Tendered in evidence against the defendant was a certificate of identification, a notice of nominal complaint with copies of intent to award the contract, and an iPhone 11Pro Max. The PW2 further informed the court that upon confronting the defendant with the evidence, his lawyers responded with a letter for a plea bargain.
Kekemeke adjourned the matter till April 30, 2024, for continuation of trial.
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