Son, mother, girlfriend convicted over $902,935 internet fraud in Delta

The long hand of the law has caught up with the trio of a woman, her son and his girlfriend over internet-related fraud running into over $902,935.

Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State on Friday July 23 convicted and sentenced Gift Kenneth, Dora Animam and Spice Chimzi Dandy Igwe to prison for getting themselves involved in the fraud.

Kenneth, his biological mother, Animam and girlfriend, Igwe were arraigned on one count charge each by the Benin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for offences bordering on impersonation and obtaining by false pretences.

Reports revealed that they conspired to defraud an American lady, Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson of an aggregate sum of $902,935.

The charge against Gift Kenneth reads: “that you Gift Kenneth (a.k.a Raymond Carl Eric ) on or about the year 2018 and 2019 at Agbor within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently impersonate the identity of one Raymond Carl Eric by which you propose an Infrastructural Investment Project to one Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson living in Texas, United States of America and thereby induced her to transfer the aggregate sum of $902,935 through various third parties’ (Shuaibu Abdullahi and Dora Animam) Bank accounts, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22 (2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention, Etc) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(IV) of the same Act”.

The charge against Dora Animam reads: “that you Dora Animam on or about the year 2018 and 2019 at Agbor within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did aid Gift Kenneth (a.k.a Raymond Carl Eric) with your Diamond Bank account Number: 0097188910 and Access Bank account Number: 00928225267 to receive an aggregate sum of $166,000 from one Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson living in Texas and N27,000,000, from Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson and Shuaibu Abdullahi respectively being part of the fund transferred by Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson for your fraudulent proposed Infrastructural Investment Project and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 27(1)(b) and 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(IV) of the same Act.”

They all pleaded guilty to the offence before they were subsequently sent to prison.