In a landmark judgment that underscores the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s intensified crackdown on cybercrime, Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Wednesday sentenced a 23-year-old serial Internet fraudster, Adebisi Olalekan, to 24 months imprisonment without the option of fine.
Olalekan, a native of Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State, was convicted after he was found guilty of the two counts of offences bordering on cybercrime, including cheating and impersonation preferred against him by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.
A statement by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC in Ilorin, Kwara State on Wednesday disclosed that the case originated from a report by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, which alerted the EFCC to Olalekan’s cybercriminal activities.
The convict was accused of impersonating many foreign nationals including Joshua Campbell Novak, through fake Gmail and TextPlus accounts between August and December 2024. Through these fraudulent identities, he defrauded victims, including Allisa Motazedi and Brittany Boggess, of $100,000 and $1,000, respectively.
One of the charges reads, “That you, Adebisi Emmanuel Olalekan, between August 2024 and December 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Joshua Campbell Novak via your Gmail account and TextPlus number with the intent to obtain a total sum of $100,000 from Allisa Motazedi, which you did obtain, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(IV) of the same Act.”
Olalekan pleaded guilty to both counts.
Upon his plea, counsel for the EFCC, Sesan Ola, led an investigating officer, Paul Aniebonam, in evidence narrating how the convict created fake online profiles to deceive and defraud unsuspecting foreign victims.
Aniebonam confirmed to the court that the proceeds of the fraudulent activities were used to acquire the luxury vehicle in October 2024, while over N124m in his bank account was traced to similar illicit transactions. He also tendered key exhibits including the bank statement, car documents, mobile device, and four extrajudicial statements made by the defendant.
Justice Awogboro in the judgement sentenced Olalekan to 12 months imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.
The court also granted the final forfeiture of all traced assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered the forfeiture of N124,402,322 found in Olalekan’s Wema Bank account, a white Mercedes Benz ML350 valued at N30m, and an iPhone 14 Pro Max used in perpetrating the crimes.
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