A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced one Chima Nkwocha also known as Young Billionaire to two years imprisonment for defrauding a United States citizen of $345,000.
PUNCH Metro learnt from a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday that the convict was arrested in August 2024.
Following his arrest, he was arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on two counts bordering on impersonation and fraud to which he pleaded guilty.
The statement read, “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 [email protected] and [email protected] 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.”
The prosecuting counsel, Lanre Olanrewaju, had told the court during the trial that 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 were 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 court also ordered the forfeiture of all assets seized from the convict.
“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 statement concluded.
