This pic seems to be an odd type file( .oko ) but we were able to open it with the Windows Fax and Picture Viewer.
31 DEC 2004
EFCC Commissioner Nuhu Ribadu selected as
Man of the Year by ThisDay, a Nigerian newspaper:
Nuhu Ribadu: The Anti-Corruption Czar
By Simon Kolawole, 12.31.2004
Nuhu Ribadu is vindictive. Nuhu Ribadu is being used by President Olusegun Obasanjo to
witch-hunt the president's political opponents. Nuhu Ribadu does selective justice. Nuhu
Ribadu talks too much. Nuhu Ribadu grandstands. Nuhu Ribadu is power-drunk. Nuhu Ribadu
has bitten more than he can chew. Nuhu Ribadu this. Nuhu Ribadu that.
That is just one side of the story, the unpleasant side of the story, depending on whether you
have been pinched by the claws of the Octopus called Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), headed by Nuhu Ribadu, an Assistant Police Commissioner who is the
Executive Chairman of the Commission.
The pleasant part of the story is that Ribadu has inspired the commission to a height that could
make Major-Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon (late) envious, given their own
spirited battle against corruption and indiscipline when they sat on the seat of power in 1984-85.
Theirs was called War Against Indiscipline (WAI). Despite all their excesses, Buhari and
Idiagbon are still recognised for making efforts to sweep corruption and other forms of
indiscipline out of the nation's terrain.
The EFCC is saddled with the responsibility of fighting battles that even angels will tactically
dodge. In a country where corruption is the major employer of labour, it takes a large injection of
courage to stand out and be counted as an anti-corruption crusader. Ribadu is heavily injected
with courage, perhaps an overdose of it, and he is suicidally wearing a battle gear against 419,
bank frauds, fraud in the petroleum sector, pipeline vandalisation and money laundering
among several other children and grandchildren of corruption.
He knows that too well. A devout Muslim, he readily admits that if it is the will of Allah that he
should be consumed by this anti-corruption war, so be it. From Allah he came, and to Allah he
shall return. "Believe me, I’m not afraid of death. I’ve got so many death threats. I am not
bothered. I just checked my e-mail now and I received a threat mail from a Nigerian fraudster
based in Germany. We just blocked a 419 deal he wanted to seal. He's furious. He said he is
monitoring my movement, that he would deal with me. Of course, I just smiled. I get a lot of such
letters everyday. I'm not worried at all," he once told this writer in an informal chat.
What makes the Ribadu story pleasing to the ear is that he is not a typical police officer. In fact,
he had a rough battle with the police hierarchy when he was appointed chairman of EFCC. Their
anger stemmed from the fact that President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed a 'junior' officer to
head the commission. The position, they argued, was for a person with rank of Commissioner of
Police. But Obasanjo stuck to his gun. He had heard a lot about the integrity of this particular
police officer in a country where police officers and integrity don't mix as a matter of principle.
Obasanjo had done his own surveillance gathering and was bent on scoring a vital goal with
Ribadu’s appointment.
Many were of the opinion that the police hierarchy did not like Ribadu's appointment, not
because he was not qualified, but because of the billions of naira involved in the anti-corruption
business. It was too juicy a job to hand over to a very young man, who was just hovering around
40 years of age then.
Fighting 419 was a very lucrative business in the past. Many Inspectors-General of Police had
fed fat on the scams. There was an IGP who used to give police protection to 419 kingpins. The
story goes that one day, an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) was having a meeting
with this IGP in question when a notorious 419 kingpin came in. The IGP told the AIG to 'please
excuse us'. The AIG was so furious that as soon as he was appointed IGP, his first duty was to
get the fraudster arrested and detained throughout his tenure. Such was the decay in the police
hierarchy.
The official support and protection given to the fraudsters did sufficient damage to the image of
Nigeria. The international community treated Nigerians with contempt, and when it came to
business matters, they would not want to touch Nigerians with a long cable. The reproach was
dehumanizing.
To make matters worse, the 419 kingpins were walking the streets as kings. They were openly
celebrating their ill-gotten wealth. They were getting chieftaincy titles and granting press
interviews. As soon as Ribadu came into office, he rounded them up. Many of them have been
languishing in jail on court orders, and they have been fighting for their fundamental human
rights since then.
Ribadu has fought wars with foreigners who evade taxes and duties despite the billions they
made from the Nigerian economy. He has engaged fuel smugglers in a war on the borderline.
He has taken on his own people like Alhaji Mohammed Bulama, the Managing Director of Bank
of the North, who must have thought that the Arewa spirit would bless him with some protection.
Those who accuse Ribadu of being used for political ends point directly to the case involving
Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State. Many believe that it was because the president
wanted to deal with the embattled governor that the EFCC has taken over the case. However,
one point that cannot be discounted is that the Metropolitan Police of London wrote him and
detailed all the allegations of financial misdeeds against the governor. Should the EFCC fold its
arms and go to sleep after receiving such a report? Even though, EFCC does not have the
power to try a constitutionally-protected governor but by trying the governor's co-conspirators
who do not have immunity, Ribadu may be scoring an even bigger point. It will serve as a
landmark in the anti-corruption fight.
Indeed, Ribadu is a shinning example. No matter his perceived imperfections, he stands out for
daring to take up a dogged fight against corruption. Not many Nigerians can be counted as
standing tall in integrity, but his slender frame houses both integrity and courage. And since
these are very scarce qualities in Nigeria, Ribadu has clearly made a name for himself. And
that is why he has been selected as THISDAY Man of The Year which just ended.
419 Coalition Note: 419 Coalition would like to congratulate Commissioner
Ribadu on his selection as ThisDay Man of the Year. He is genuinely
doing his best to bring down the 419ers, and that takes immense skill,
courage, and perseverance. Mr. Ribadu is a true patriot and is Making
a Difference for all Nigerians, at home and abroad. We often think of Mr.
Ribadu as Nigeria's Eliot Ness. We thank the EFCC team and Mr. Ribadu
for their efforts, and we applaud ThisDay for its selection of Commissioner
Ribadu as Man of the Year.
****************************************
31 DEC 2004
From Vanguard, a Nigerian newspaper:
FCT police boss blasts 419 victims, says they are greedy
By Kingsley Omonobi
Friday, December 31, 2004
ABUJA: THE Commissioner of police in the Federal Capital, Abuja, Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo
yesterday lambasted victims of advanced fee fraud, saying their greed more than anything
else usually makes them easy targets. "It is a pity, but 419 victims are those who want to
become rich overnight. Any hard working person who is satisfied with his earnings would not
easily get deceived by these fraudsters except he has greed in his system." (the rest of the
article is not related to 419 matters).
419 Coalition Note: Of course, for these people to be 419 victims they
must FIRST be targeted by the greedy, criminal 419ers. Yes, it sure is
a pity that these greedy, criminal 419ers are not satisfied with their
earnings from legitimate pursuits and want to become rich overnight
by stealing from those who Have worked hard, and legitimately, for
the monies that they lose.
Additionally, in many cases of goods and services 419, the targets
have merely made the mistake of extending credit to, or of doing a
favor for, their apparently above-board Nigerian business counterpart.
Cases of Cashier's Check 419 and Charitable Organization 419 are
often like this, for example.
In short, we hope that Commissioner Adebayo's remarks were
misquoted, or were taken out of context, as he really can't be such
an idiot about 419 matters as his remarks make him out to be. And
even if he were, and did actually say what he allegedly said, 419
Coalition would like to point out that Greed, in itself, is generally
not illegal, but Stealing Is. Therefore Commissioner Adebayo
had better start arresting and convicting 419ers in his jurisdiction --
not One has been convicted in recent years -- before he runs off
at the mouth and makes silly generalizations about 419 victims.
Now That would be a productive use of the man's time.
******************************************
27 DEC 2004
Credited to "Mid-Day" from Naijanet.com:
Mumbai, India: Two Nigerian scamsters debarred
By Vinod Kumar Menon
The Mumbai police took stern action against two Nigerian nationals on Friday by applying
‘persona non grata’ and thereby banned their entry into the country forever.
The men, identified as Ngozi Alexander Achiliho (30) and Joseph Iroka (35), were sent back to
their country on Friday evening.
The duo would cheat people by sending them emails stating that someone had died in an
accident leaving behind a huge sum in his savings account. And since the deceased shared
the same surname as that of the victim, he was entitled to the sum.
Another method adopted by them was to pose as representatives of the United Nations and
assure US $10 million against $7,000.
The victims would be assured of receiving the money through courier and asked to collect the
trunk from the airport cargo section after receiving the US $7,000 from them.
The trunk would contain ‘anti breeze’ paper bundles (a term used by the culprits) covered with
black powder, which they said was done to disguise the dollar notes to prevent African terrorists
from learning about the huge sum.
The police found two laptops, six mobile phones and telephone diaries of their victims in their
possession.
According to a police officer supervising the operation, necessary instructions have been given
to all the concerned immigration centres about the ban on their entry.
Stern action has been taken against the duo on account of increase in cases of innocent
people being duped by Nigerians and other African nationals in our country after being lured by
promises of untold wealth.
The Bandra crime branch unit 9 had arrested two Nigerians a few months ago in a similar case.
The duo, Harrison Edward and Peter Johnson, had duped a businessman Deepesh Goel (34)
from Rajkot to the tune of over Rs 5 lakh.
The police have requested the public to come forward and register a complaint against such
crooks.
Also, they have cautioned people from getting carried away by such false promises and
assurances of easy wealth.
Here is the URL of the article for as long as it is good:
http://naijanet.com/news/source/2004/dec/27/1004.html
************************************
20 DEC 2004
We were just made aware of these two news pieces from
KGO-TV/DT ABC Channel 7 which serves San Francisco,
Oakland, and San Jose. They were aired 26 MAY 2004.
We thought they were excellent pieces! So we're putting
them up - as they are just as cautionary now as they were
then:
Bay Area Couple Swindled By Nigerian Email Scam
The I-Team Investigates (ABC7)
If you use e-mail, you've probably seen the spam - a wealthy Nigerian family needs your help,
and in return, you'll receive a share of their fortune. That scam and others like it are bringing in
hundreds of millions of dollars a year world-wide. We've found victims in the Bay Area. Dan
Noyes has this I-Team investigation.
An elderly couple from San Jose got dragged into this scam by a local college professor.
They've lost more than $700,000. They're broke, and are being kicked out of the home they
used to own.
This man had a long career as a typesetter at the San Jose Mercury News. In 1970, he bought a
house on a double-lot in a nice neighborhood for $25,000. He was set for life. What's happening
now is so painful and embarrassing, he doesn't want us to show his face or use his name. He's
deaf, so we spoke with him through a sign language interpreter.
Victim: "That money just went so fast, and I didn't realize I was in danger of losing the house."
His problems began when a friend from the Deaf Studies Center at Ohlone College came to him
with what seemed to be the chance of a lifetime. Professor Brian Malzkuhn had an e-mail from
the family of Sani Abacha. It's true that the Nigerian dictator looted more than four billion dollars
from the government and sent it to overseas banks, before he died in 1998. The scam - his
surviving family needed help retrieving the money.
John Schachnovsky, FBI White Collar Crime Squad: "I know a lot of people say, 'Why are
people falling for this?' But, it's no question. People want free money, the prospect of free
money and large amounts of money. The lottery's a very successful thing in this country and
there's a reason for that."
All the San Jose man had to do was send the Abacha family some money - an advance, to
help them deal with the overseas banks. In return, he would receive $68 million. So, Malzkuhn
helped the man and his wife mortgage their home, and refinance it several times.
Victim: ""I made a big, big mistake borrowing that money. That was one big mistake taking that
loan out."
Even after the couple sent more than $700,000, Malzkuhn and the Nigerians came back for
more - just $19,500 to finish the deal. The professor e-mailed the couple, "Wowow, this one is for
real! I will keep you posted. Thanks for the nice visit. Praise the Lord and God be with us
always, and God bless us indeed! Hugs, Brian."
Victim: "Brian asked me if I had faith in God, and God is going to bring the money."
The couple was tapped out, so Malzkuhn asked their neighbor for the $19,500.
Mike McMahon, neighbor: ""He just kept pushing it and pushing it until he knew I wasn't gonna
buy into it, and he got frustrated and walked out."
We tried to ask Brian Malzkuhn about all this, but he's been very difficult to track down. We left
messages at his home, his work, and sent him e-mails. We finally reached him by phone, but
Malzkuhn wouldn't answer any questions about the Nigerians or the money. He would only say,
"I love the (couple). I would never hurt them." After that conversation, he e-mailed the husband
and wife, "Please fax (Channel 7) telling them to get off our backs, not to interview with you or me
ever, because nothing is definite. We shall prevail!"
Victim: "Yes, I trusted him, he kept telling me that everything would be okay, I believed him."
But now, the husband and wife are in serious trouble. They haven't made their $5,000 a month
mortgage payment in a year, and the bank is foreclosing.
Stephen Gibbons, Santa Clara County Economic Crimes Unit: ""They're really the type of victim
that in law enforcement we're most concerned about, because they can't protect themselves."
This Santa Clara County Assistant District Attorney says Brian Malzkuhn is under investigation
by the Economic Crimes Unit, the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service. Possible charges include
financial elder abuse and theft.
Gibbons: "If they provide, knowingly provide false information to an investor or a person to get
their money, they lie to a person to get their money, that could be theft by false pretenses."
But, Gibbons says Malzkuhn told investigators he also got scammed by the Nigerians ... and, if
he didn't keep any of the couple's money, he won't be prosecuted. The couple's last resort
would be to sue Malzkuhn to try and recoup some of their losses. They don't seem to have the
strength for that, and the pressure is building.
Victim: "I don't have a gun, but I'll wait and I'll buy a gun. And I'll have it at the ready."
The husband's talking about killing himself. Malzkuhn's convinced him the $68 million is coming,
but the Nigerians keep missing deadlines as recently as two days ago.
Victim: "It's better to die and just die in peace without people on my back all the time. If you're
dead you can't feel somebody on you all the time, it's like too bad, sorry, just forget it."
McMahon: "He really believes the money's coming. He thinks his best friend's gonna help him
through it, and his best friend happens to be Brian. And that's gonna be sad, just to see this guy
and his wife be escorted out by the sheriffs when all this could have been stopped years ago."
Clearly, this has reached a crisis point. Adult Protective Services went by to check on the
couple - the situation is stable, at this point. The couple appeared in bankruptcy court today and
the judge gave them some breathing room -- until September 1st to sell the home, or face
foreclosure.
This may seem like an obvious scam to you, but all sorts of educated people are getting taken
- CEOs, priests, even police officers. We spoke with one doctor in Modesto who just lost
$800,000 to the scam. Tonight at 11, we go to London where we set up a meeting with con artists
who offered me $46 million. Scotland Yard is also on the case.
[419 Coalition Note: Part 2 of the Story follows:]
I-Team Tracks Nigerian Email Scam To London
(ABC7)
Scams are spreading like wildfire across the internet. Con men and women are raking in
hundreds of millions of dollars a year world-wide, and we've found several Northern
Californians who've lost big money. Dan Noyes tracked one scam from here, to Africa, and to
London.
We all know the expression about a fool and his money. But, all sorts of people are falling for
these scams - CEOs, doctors, even police officers. We wanted to find out what it is that's
attracting people. Our search took us to Scotland Yard.
If you use e-mail, you've seen the scams. Kingsley Seko from Zimbabwe wants me to help hide
$9.5 million lars from a corrupt government - I can keep 30 percent. Kizie Mulumba of South
Africa asks me to pose as the next of kin to a rich, deceased businessman and claim $25
million - my take, 40 percent. Before he dies of esophageal cancer, Ibrahim Gawish from Dubai
wants to give me $27 million to donate to charity - I get 10 percent. He even sent pictures from
his death bed.
John Schachnovsky, FBI White Collar Crime Squad: "Really, even though they sound all
different, it's all the same basic scam. You need to send us money, you have to give us your
bank account for us to give you more money." [419 Coalition Note: Of course, this agent has
things a bit wrong or has been misunderstood, as most 419 fraud is Advance Fee Fraud, where
the targets Voluntarily send their money to the 419ers - as in This case. It is, however, a
persistent myth that the primary purpose of the 419ers is to get the number etc. of a target's bank
accounts and then reach in and empty them. Early on in 419 matters some official or other got
things muddled up and described 419 operations that way, and the canard has been repeated
ever since (sigh) giving people the wrong idea of how 419 scams operate. Once again, that is
not how 419 works. The reason the 419ers ask for banking information etc. from the targets is
primarily to build Faith in the mind of the target that monies will indeed be sent into the account.
Hence, it is more of a confidence-building thing than anything else. 419ers count on people
being willing to empty their bank accounts by Themselves - the 419ers as a rule do Not reach
into people's accounts and empty them. Most 419 is Advance Fee Fraud.]
One San Jose man sent more than $700,000 to Nigeria. He's losing the home he's owned for 34
years. He's so embarrassed, he doesn't want us to show his face or use his name. He's deaf,
so we spoke with him through an interpreter.
Victim: "The Nigerians, I don't know if they ripped off my money, but they keep trying to get more
and more fees. I don't know, I can't explain it."
Glen Colvin, U.S. Secret Service: "We've had CEOs of companies actually been defrauded
and lost their jobs. We've had priests, we've had the whole gamut, I mean doctors, lawyers."
As part of our research, the I-Team began responding to the scam spam, including this one
from a private investigator in London. He wrote that a 19-year-old girl from the Ivory Coast of
Africa needs help investing the $45.6 million her father sealed in two trunks, before he was
poisoned. Then, the girl named Grace sent us an e-mail with a picture, saying, "I can't wait to
come and start living with you, Dad."
Schachnovsky: "A child, who lost their parents, who lost their mother, I can help this child, and at
the same time, I can be rich, wow, this is a win-win for me."
Next came a flood of phone calls. The private investigator urged me to stay in touch with Grace.
Philip Browne:: "You're supposed to e-mail her often to see, to ask her how she's faring about
that."
Dan Noyes: "Oh, okay."
Browne: "Cause she's in a very, very difficult situation, you know?"
And, I received a contract by fax from Grace's law firm, Mohammed Kuri and Ass. It was official,
"The sum of $45,600,000" would be mine. The lawyer sent a copy of his passport, and the
father's death certificate. Then, his associate in Germany told me the treasure chests had been
moved from the Ivory Coast to London, and I would have to pay the freight charges.
Bernadette Rosenberg: "You'd have to bring along 7,500 pounds."
That’s about $13,500 American dollars.
Dan Noyes: "And they couldn't take that money out of what's in the boxes?"
Rosenberg: "No, the boxes are sealed."
Finally, the lawyer called with big news - Grace was leaving the Ivory Coast to meet me in
England.
Mohammed Kuri: "We're all in this together."
That offer was hard to refuse, and we wanted to show you how the scam works. So, we agreed
to meet Grace and her people here in London.
Vas Gopinathan, detective, Scotland Yard: "My advice would be that you don't get something
for nothing."
Scotland Yard has seen the treasure chest scam before, they confiscated one in a bust just
three months ago. It's filled with phony hundred-dollar bills with the word "copy" stamped in pink.
The chemicals in this bottle make the pink disappear.
Robert Brandon, detective, Scotland Yard: "The only thing you need is to pay for chemicals.
But, the bottle of chemical is $60,000."
Scotland Yard asked us to delay our meeting with Grace and her lawyer, they wanted to set up
a sting. We agreed, and did a little leg work. The addresses used on the correspondence were
fake, the numbers came from disposable cell phones, and the e-mail accounts could be
accessed from any internet café across London.
Gopinathan: "They are very, very slick. Something about them, they constantly adapt their
method to try and encourage more victims to come into their system."
But the scam artists did not like us changing their plans. They kept me on the phone for hours,
arguing with me.
Kuri: "You're not doing it the right way. You're, you, you didn't keep up to the appointment and
you came at your own time, and you're not gonna do things your own way."
Grace's "lawyer" wasn't happy with me. He told me I would have to return to London in two
weeks and he's still calling me. Scotland Yard warned me this is no harmless scam - money
from this con often funds the trafficking of drugs and people. Americans have disappeared,
been kidnapped and murdered. After they've gone to London or Africa to meet these people
face to face.
Here are links to the two pieces so long as they are good.
You can even watch the pieces online if you wish:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/news/iteam/052604_iteam_deaf_scam.html
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/news/iteam/052604_iteam_deaf_scam_two.html
*********************************************************
23 NOV 2004
From The Punch, a NIgerian newspaper:
EFCC recovers N20bn from fraudsters
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered over N20billion from
fraudsters across the country since its inception in 2003.
Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, stated this on Monday in Abuja, while
defending the commission's 2005 budget estimates before the Senate Committee on Drugs,
Narcotics and Financial Crimes.
According to him, the EFCC currently has over 100 criminal cases involving over 300 suspects
pending in different courts within the country, adding, however, that financial constraints
on the part of the commission had slowed down the prosecution of the cases.
419 Coalition note: However, to date EFCC has convicted NO 419ers
and we know of NO instance where the recovered monies have been
returned to the victims. Additionally, in the one case where Government
of Nigeria announced years ago that it had recovered and would return
the stolen monies to a specific victim, the Ghasemi case, no monies
have been returned to the victim to date. The failure of Central Bank of
Nigeria to return the Ghasemi's recovered money after making a big
public to-do about how it was recovered and would be returned
has largely deprived the Nigerian Government of any credibility
it seeks in recovery and repatration of 419ed monies.
***********************************************************
18 NOV 2004
From Wire 2004 as posted on Naijanet.com:
Nigerian scam uses FBI letterhead
Unsolicited letters from Nigeria were sent to U.S. businesses using FBI letterhead as part of a
fraud scheme, the FBI warned Wednesday.
The letters, or sometimes e-mails, appear to come from one or more non-existing entities and
are entitled Memo on Debt Payment, the bureau said. The letters say a group called the Debt
Settlement Panel is the approved paying office in Nigeria and encourage individuals to deal
exclusively with that office.
The FBI said while most recognize these letters as obvious forgeries, others lose millions of
dollars through such schemes each year.
The letters perpetrate a scam that has been on the Internet for years, combining the threats of
impersonation fraud and identity theft.
A letter or e-mail offers the recipient the opportunity to share in a percentage of millions of
dollars that the author, a self proclaimed government official, is trying to transfer illegally out of
Nigeria.
The FBI urged anyone who receives such a request to contact a local FBI field office.
***************************************************
9 NOV 2004
From The Guardian, a Nigerian newspaper:
Crimes commission is illegal, Ajayi tells court
By Mustapha Ogunsakin, Senior Judicial Reporter
LAST week when he appeared as counsel to Chief Emmanuel Nwude, a suspect in Nigeria's
biggest fraud case, Chief G.O.K. Ajayi (SAN) sought for time to study the charges against his
client.
But when he returned yesterday to the Ikeja High Court in Lagos, Ajayi filed a motion, asking the
court to declare the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as illegal.
Nwude alongside Mrs. Amaka Anajemba and Chief Nzeribe Okoli are on trial, for allegedly
swindling a Brazilian bank of N36 billion.
The case is being heard by Justice Olusanmi Oyewole, who adjourned the matter till yesterday
following Ajayi's pleas.
Prior to Chief Ajayi's coming into the case, the trial had commenced and several witnesses
gave evidence on how the monies were routed through several banks into Nigeria.
The suspects had entered into a "place bargaining" whereby they will refund the money for
freedom. This was not allowed as the court declared on October 18, 2004 that "plea
bargaining" was not known to the Criminal Procedure Laws.
When the court sat yesterday, Ajayi served it a motion on notice, seeking to strike out the
changes against the accused persons because the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission Establishment Act (2002) and all measures taken and things done pursuant thereto
by all of the commission were unconstitutional null and void for inconsistency with and violation
of Section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
The National Assembly, Ajayi argued, lacked the constitutional powers to enact the EFCC Act
and the same and all acts and things done pursuant to the same by all officers, functionaries of
the commission appointed thereby were unconstitutional, null and void.
He referred to section 214 of the Constitution, which established the Nigeria Police Force, while
section four of the Police Act set out the powers of the Nigeria Police. "I submit that it is not
possible to establish another body with the same powers reserved for the police, thereby
circumventing them," he argued.
Ajayi insisted that only the police had powers to investigate and prosecute crimes.
The offences for which the suspects were facing trial were under the state laws and that getting
the Lagos State Attorney-General's fiat to prosecute them was symptomatic of the arrogance of
the Federal Government in its dealings with other component parts that make up the federation.
"No federal agency can impose any duty on a state agency," he stated.
The lawyers also cited sections 18 and 19 of the EFCC Act, and submitted that it was a slight on
the Chief Judge of Lagos State for and "an unsavoury attempt to put undue pressure on a state
court that is not under the Federal Government," adding that it was an attempt to bye-pass the
constitution in a brazen manner.
Chief Ajayi therefore, submitted that in enacting the EFCC Act, the National Assembly acted ultra
vires, as it cannot set up another agency, as a parallel body to which the constitution had
established.
He told the court that the issue it had to resolve was whether or not the EFCC as set up by the
Federal Government had not usurped the powers of the police; and whether the sum total of this
situation was a violation of section 214 of the Constitution.
The lawyer also took a swipe at some federal agencies, declaring them as abnormal.
Ajayi said: "All these are in effect, a violation of the people's rights. The National Judicial
Council (NJC) like other federal agencies is an anomaly. I wonder why the police were
regionalised at independence. I am sure that all our delegates to that conference will continue
to regret their decision in bringing the police under the central government."
"I therefore submit that the court should hold that the setting up of EFCC is a violation of the
constitution. If this Act is void, it follows that all things done by its officers are utterly void," he
concluded.
Justice Oyewole later adjourned the case till tomorrow to allow the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi
Jacobs to reply.
419 Coalition Note: This story was also carried by Vanguard and other Nigerian
media.
**********************************************
8 NOV 2004
From the Australian Assicated Press, sent in by
an Associate:
The Australian mastermind of a global Internet scam was today sentenced to at least four years
behind bars.
Nick Marinellis pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court to 10 counts of fraud and one count of
perverting the course of justice over the so-called Nigerian or West African scam.
The ruse fleeced victims of AU$5 million.
Judge Barry Mahoney sentenced Marinellis to five years and three months jail with a non-
parole period of four years and four months.
The sentence will be backdated to October last year when the 40-year-old was first jailed.
Judge Mahoney said a significant sentence was needed to deter others from committing similar
offences.
"None of the matters are trivial and the modus operandi was complicated and devious," he
said. Marinellis will be eligible for release on February 28, 2008.
"The crime of fraud has been with mankind for a long time. This style of robbery is just a new
theft technique using a modern tool - the internet," said Rob Forsyth, managing director for
Sophos Australia and New Zealand.
"If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is. With the increase of spam email, the old
adage of caveat emptor -- let the buyer beware -- should be written in bold across the top of
every computer screen."
"Sophos trusts that this substantial sentence delivers a clear message to all email fraudsters
that the law and technology, supported by consumer education, is fast closing in on them,"
Forsyth said.
419 Coalition Note: And were the Nigerian 419ers who started the whole
thing arrested or convicted of anything? Not that we know of. And are
they still enjoying the benefits of the stolen monies? We'd assume so.
**********************************
7 NOV 2004
From The Guardian, a Nigerian newspaper:
Nigerian 419 Wreck Lives In Australia
FROM NDAEYO UKO, CANBERRA
THE advanced free fraud, known here as the "Nigerian e-mail scam," is pushing its Australian
victims into jail and suicide.
A Melbourne High Court on Thursday sentenced a high-flying 58-year-old financial adviser,
Robert Street, to jail for five years and three months for handing Australian $1 million (N10
million) of his clients' money to a cunning 419 fraudsters, who gave his name as Reverend Sam
Kukah.
Earlier, in Cairns, the tropical northern city of the State of Queensland, another Australian had to
be talked out of jumping to his death by Queensland Police star negotiator, Inspector Tony
Montgomery Clark, after the 419 victim, who had lost his business, livelihood and relationships
decided to end his life.
With the rising profile of 419 victims and the increase in scam letters arriving in Australia, the
authorities are so worried that in pamphlets distributed to all Australian homes they included the
"Nigerian scam" as one of the social problems Australians should protect themselves from.
Nigeria's new High Commissioner to Australia, Dr Icha Ituma told The Guardian that the
Nigerian government had fought gallantly to check this fraud.
"The Economic and Financial Crime Commission is handling the matter strictly at home," he
said, adding, "in July or so more than 500 people were arrested."
When told that Nigerians in Australia were receiving complaints from Australians, Dr Ituma said
the high commission "receives more protests than anyone" and affirmed his efforts to inform the
host country that "anyone involved in this matter is fraudulent" and that Nigeria is doing its best
to defeat the scammers.
Informal statistics show that hundreds of Australians fall for the scam every month mostly
because, living on a faraway island, they care and know pretty little about the outside world. It is
the high profile victims and those who lose huge sums that get exposed.
Street, a financial whiz kid, who became a bank manager at the age of 30, had received a
substantial amount of money from clients for investments in high-tech devices that promised
returns of between 10 and 500 per cent, The Australian reported.
But he sent the money to his Nigerian scammer, paying as much as Australian $10,000 (N1
million) to send mobile phones to Nigeria.
"Considered objectively, your deceptive conduct appears deliberate and carefully considered
but you," the presiding judge, Tom Wodak said as he delivered a verdict that shattered the
financial adviser's future and Australian $3 million (N300 million) business.
The court heard the fictitious Reverend Kukah promised Street $US65 million (nearly N1 billion).
Security agencies have also identified local networks run by Australians within the country.
In the commercial capital, Sydney, a 39-year-old Australian was also charged with 17 offences
relating to a multi-million-dollar Internet scam based in Australia.
Agency reports quoted State police as saying that the arrest on Tuesday came after a four-
month investigation, and was the first arrest of a key Australian allegedly involved in the global
scam.
State Crime Command Assets Confiscation Unit (ACU) detectives arrested the Sydney man
during a search of a property at Nyngan in the State's central west. Police simultaneously
raided two homes in the city and police seized computers and documents.
ACU commander, Inspector Jennifer Thommeny said the "in the last six months, we've
probably tracked about $1.5 million."
Thommeny told reporters in Sydney that "this is really significant. We believe that this is the first
arrest of its kind in the world relating to an Australian connection."
Sydney-based international syndicate had targeted hundreds of victims in Australia and
overseas.
The agency identified victims who have been approached in NSW, South Australia, Victoria,
Cyprus, Malaysia, Japan, Norway, Greece, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and England.
Authorities issued freeze orders on nine Sydney property, a UK property, and five vehicles.
Meaning they could not be sold, and could be confiscated if prosecutions were successful,
according to media reports.
Inspector Thommeny said the racket was relatively simple to set up, but that it was often difficult
to catch the culprits because the victims usually lived overseas.
"It's difficult to say whether we'll see an end to it, because it's all about people's gullibility," she
said.
Many victims were so embarrassed about being fooled that they never reported the crime.
"Sometimes you will get someone that's really ill and down on their luck and they think, 'Oh my
God, it's a gift from heaven'," Inspector Thommeny said.
"It takes a very greedy, ruthless person to set up this scam, because it's very simple."
Some people realised their mistake after the first payment. Others kept handing over money,
even when fraudsters demanded further fees.
Dr Ituma said the failure of the media to "depict what the Nigerian government is doing" and to
represent the warnings Nigerian officials like himself had issued might be promoting ignorance
about the advance fee fraud.
419 Coalition Note: Somebody needs to inform Dr. Ituma that the
the Nigerian Economic Crimes Commission does not agree with
him that victims are criminals; and also that the EFCC, despite its
best efforts, has yet to obtain even One conviction of a 419er in
Nigeria.
**********************************************
6 NOV 2004
From the New Zealand Herald:
Investors hit twice in scams, court told
Investors in a failed upmarket Parnell apartment development were the victims of two Nigerian-
type scams, a depositions hearing in the Auckland District Court was told yesterday.
In the first "advance fee fraud," as the Serious Fraud Office calls them, investors lost hundreds
of thousands of dollars when American fraudster Greg Dutcher promised he would lend money
for a housing scheme in St Stephens Ave, but investors had to put in money first.
After their money disappeared, they were told a rescue package was being put together.
But the SFO says they were stung again when it turned out to be another advance fee fraud - this
time a classic Nigerian scam in which investors lost more than $2 million.
Before the court are 65-year-old Patricia Lenine Mabel Walsh, who faces 89 charges of fraud,
forgery and theft, and her 78-year-old aunt, Elva Mary Medhurst, accused of two charges of theft.
The SFO says that Walsh told many of the investors in the failed apartment scheme that an
overseas charitable trust or a Christian benefactor who helped out people in dire straits would
recoup their losses on the project.
But they had to pay expenses and fees involved in getting the trust's money to New Zealand.
The SFO claims that Walsh was putting their money into a Nigerian scam related to the
supposed supply of computers to the Nigerian National Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Walsh was said to be expecting to make US$28 million, but she also was duped.
A former partner in an Auckland law firm told Judge Simon Lockhart, QC, that he lost $400,000 in
the apartment failure and another $1.2 million trying to get his money back.
The SFO says Walsh sent his $1.2 million to Nigeria with other investors' money.
The lawyer, who like all the complainants has name suppression, told the court Dutcher was
due to stand trial in the United States on fraud charges but committed suicide last month.
He told the court that he had been seeking $8 million from the rescue package, supposedly
financed by Middle East oil money, to pay taxes and creditors and provide for his child's
education.
[419 Coalition note: See 4 NOV 2004 News for more on this case.]
******************************************
5 NOV 2004
Sent in by an Associate from the Herald Sun
newspaper of Melbourne, Australia:
Nigerian-scam adviser jailed
By Christine Caulfield and Ian Royal
A FINANCIAL adviser has been jailed for at least four years after losing more than $1 million of
his clients' money in a Nigerian banking scam.
Robert Andrew Street, 58, then a licensed securities dealer, deceived clients into handing over
retirement savings after being fooled by the scam.
The County Court heard Street told victims he would invest their money in risk-free projects, but
instead transferred $1,039,910 overseas to the frauds.
Street had been hoodwinked by a person claiming to be a representative of a Nigerian
government committee, who offered him $65 million on payment of certain "upfront fees".
He also used $10,000 of his clients' funds to buy mobile telephones, which he arranged to be delivered to an address in Nigeria.
The money has not been recovered and Street never received his promised millions.
Street, of Mitcham, pleaded guilty to five counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception
between September 2001 and August 2002, following an investigation by the Australian
Securities and Investments Commission.
Judge Tom Wodak yesterday sentenced Street to a maximum five years and three months' jail.
He described the fraud as a serious breach of trust. "That you were a person of apparent good
reputation no doubt assisted you to reach the position in which you were able to do as you did,"
he told Street.
"The gravity of these offences is illustrated by your relationship with your clients, some of whom
had become friends."
Judge Wodak said Street actively concealed from his clients the truth about his
misappropriation of their savings, telling victims they were investing in projects guaranteeing
returns of up to 500 per cent.
"The circumstances of these offences truly portray a sad story. It is one of tragedy, and financial
hardship for each of your victims," Judge Wodak said.
***********************************************************
4 NOV 2004
From the New Zealand Herald, sent in by an
Associate:
Pair in court over Nigerian money scam
A 78-year-old Howick woman and her 65-year-old niece are facing charges laid by the Serious
Fraud Office over a $2 million Nigerian investment scam.
Elva Mary Medhurst is accused of two charges of theft by misappropriation with her niece,
Patricia Lenine Mabel Walsh, also of Howick.
Walsh faces a further 87 charges including false pretences, forgery, and uttering false
documents.
Typically "Nigerian advance fee frauds", as the SFO terms them, involve a person in Nigeria
sending a stream of emails or faxes giving elaborate details of vast amounts of money tied up
in a Swiss bank account - funds that can only be released if some money is paid up-front.
In the Auckland District Court yesterday, SFO prosecutor Dawn Roscoe told Judge Simon
Lockhart, QC, that Walsh defrauded eight individuals or couples and sent their money to
Nigeria in the unrealistic expectation by Walsh of a US$28 million ($40.9 million) return.
One of the victims, a former senior partner in a large Auckland law firm, lost $1.17 million, and
has since been declared bankrupt.
All the victims have name suppression at this stage.
Judge Lockhart was told that at one stage in June 2002 Walsh and a man travelled to
Amsterdam where they met two men, Kingsley and Johan, at the Nigerian consulate and were
shown a box which they were told contained US$28 million.
But they could not take the cash, as Johan had to go to London to sort out another contract, this
time for $50 million.
Ms Roscoe said that most of the complainants had been involved in a failed property project in
St Stephens Ave initiated by Walsh in the late 1990s, and had lost large sums of money.
Walsh and her husband suffered substantial losses and were declared bankrupt.
Ms Roscoe said that Walsh told the complainants that she had come up with a rescue package
for investors in the St Stephens project and needed money to establish a trust for that purpose.
She also said that a US trust wanted to set up a trust to distribute funds to people in need in New
Zealand.
Ms Roscoe said that Walsh also claimed to be doing the legwork for a Christian benefactor in
the US and the UK who assisted people who got into difficulty through no fault of their own.
The victims were promised that their losses in the St Stephens project would be recouped and
they would double their investment.
The money was needed for legal expenses, bank fees and taxes.
Ms Roscoe said that having obtained the funds from the complainants, Walsh sent the money
to Nigeria.
Ms Roscoe told the court that Walsh presented the complainants with forged documents to
persuade them to give her money.
"Some of the complainants queried the validity of Mrs Walsh's requests and in response she
provided them with documents forged by her to support her requests for funds. Reassured by
the forged documents, the complainants continued giving Mrs Walsh money."
She made no mention that money was going to Nigeria.
The two charges jointly faced by Walsh and Medhurst allege that money paid by two of the
complainants was to remain in the Jabeez trust account at the ASB, to be returned after a month.
The money was withdrawn by Walsh and Medhurst, a trustee of the trust, and was not returned
to the providers.
Walsh is represented by Mark Edgar and Jeremy Bioletti and Medhurst by Shane Tait.
African frauds
Typically involve numerous emails or faxes from a person giving intricate details of vast
amounts of money tied up in Swiss bank accounts.
The target is told the funds can be released only if some money is paid upfront.
419 Coalition note: Though the author seems so be a bit confused over the
various types of 419 and is inaccurate that mentions of Swiss accounts are
the norm, a cautionary piece....
*********************************
1 NOV 2004
From ThisDay, a Nigerian newspaper:
$242m Scam: Anajemba Appeals Forfeiture of Properties
From Lillian Okenwa in Abuja
One of the suspects facing trial for defrauding a Brazilian bank of $242 million, Mrs. Amaka
Anajemba has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Abuja challenging the refusal of a
Federal High Court to discharge an interim order forfeiting her properties.
She filed seven grounds upon which the court of appeal should vacate the high court order.
One of the grounds is that the high court erred in law for refusing to discharge the order despite
the fact that the main suit upon which the application for forfeiture was predicated had been
determined.
Her counsel, Chief Chris Uche said, in the notice of appeal, "It was wrong for the trial judge to
refuse to discharge the said ex-parte order upon the determination of the matter it was
predicated upon, and even so to refuse to do so three months after the determination of the
matter."
The second ground was based on the allegation that the judge that made the order did so in
violation of Anajemba's right to fair hearing.
Uche said that the order should not have been granted ex-parte giving the fact that Anajmeba
was within the court's jurisdiction and could have been served with the notice of the application.
The court of appeal is yet to fix a date for hearing.
Anajemba had unsuccessfully applied to the Federal High Court to set aside the ex-parte order
obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for forfeiture of her assets
She argued that all the properties listed against her name and upon which the court relied in
granting the ex parte order belonged to third parties who were not standing trial.
She also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to grant the order on the ground that she was
already facing trial before the Chief Judge of the Abuja High Court, Justice Lawal Gumi.
EFCC May 26 this year, obtained an order from the Federal High Court freezing the banks'
accounts of Chief Emmanuel Nwude, Anajemba and Nzeribe Edeh Okoli, three suspects
charged with defrauding a Brazilian Bank to the tune of $242 million.
EFCC was acting on information that some of the suspects were making clandestine moves to
dispose their properties because they are likely to forfeit same to the state in the vent that they
are found guilty. The following properties belonging to one of the suspects, Chief Nwude the
commission listed the following properties for forfeiture; 36 Ikoyi Crescent, Ikoyi, Lagos, 60
Marina, Lagos, 34 Bourdilion Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, 43 Afribank Road, Victoria, Lagos, 80 Allen
Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos and 3/5 Abagana Close, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos, Others are 37/39 Awka
Road, Onitsha, Anambra State, Russel Centre, Wuse, Abuja FCT. 60 Chime Avenue, Enugu,
Enugu State, 2 Trans-Ekulu Avenue, Enugu, Enugu State, Petrol Station at Oye Agu, Abagana,
Anambra State and F22 Sani Abacha Road, GRA Phase 111 Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Vehicles sought to be forfeited allegedly owned by Nwude are, BMW, registration number
GA823 AAA, Honda Acura registration number DE712KJA, Mercedes Benz, registration number
DJI 70AAA, Porsche, registration number CP524AAA, Jaguar, registration number CA340KJA,
BMW, registration number CH238 SMK and Mercedes Benz registration number, CE511LND.
He was said to have 65,119 ordinary shares in Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. The shares were
registered in different names.
*****************************************
26 OCT 2004
From the Daily Independent (Online) a Nigerian
newspaper:
No out of court settlement with 419 suspects, says FG
By Victor Efeizomor, Law Reporter, Lagos
A determined government out to clean up Nigeria’s soiled image refused flatly on Monday to
do a deal with financial crime suspects which would have let them off the hook to enjoy half their
quarry.
Abuja poured cold water on the idea of an out-of-court settlement for suspects standing trial for
alleged involvement in advance fee fraud (popularly called 419) cases now pending in various
courts.
Among those being tried are Union Bank former director Emmanuel Nwude, Amaka Martina
Anajemba and Nzeribe Edehe Okoli, who are charged at the Ikeja High Court with alleged
involvement in a $242 million (N33.88 billion) scam.
The government was reacting to the moves they reportedly made to settle the matter out of
court.
A counsel with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Jacobs, confirmed
the development and said the Presidency turned down the offer because it is not satisfied with
the terms.
The suspects had a secret negotiation with the victims’ counsels who visited the country a
fortnight ago, and concluded arrangements on how to refund the money. But they reached a
deadlock when the government threw a spanner in the works.
Said Jacobs: "The moves failed because the accused persons were not ready to surrender
100 percent of their loot. They are saying they would only refund 50 percent, and that is not
acceptable. It would send a wrong signal about Nigeria. You see, it would mean that our country
encourages its citizens to defraud people and they would not be prosecuted after remitting 50
percent".
Jacobs, EFCC lead counsel in the case, said the government is determined to prosecute the
accused persons to the logical conclusion and would confiscate their properties if they are
found guilty.
But Nwude faulted the government position. He spoke through his counsel Amobi Nzelu, saying
the victims are"very satisfied with the arrangement as modalities have been worked out on how
to pay the money gradually over a period of time".
He stated that the stance casts doubt on the sincerity of the government, questioned the
essence of taking the matter to court when the suspects and the victims are ready to settle out of
court and speculated that the state has a secret agenda to persecute them and not to
prosecute.
Nwude said he and the other accused persons doubt the impartiality of the courts, "which
appear to be acting out a script from above", as the utterances of the judge and the speed at
which the case is being handled raises suspicion.
The accused persons have filed a motion on notice which challenges the jurisdiction of the
court to continue with the trial.
Further hearing has been adjourned till November 1.
Here is the URL of the article for as long as it is good:
http://www.independentng.com/news/nnoct260401.htm
*******************************************
21 OCT 2004
From The Guardian, a Nigerian newspaper:
How fraud suspect transferred N200m from abroad, by witness
By Mustapha Ogunsakin, Snr. Judiciary Reporter
An insight into how suspected swindlers route their ill-gotten wealth from abroad into clean bank
accounts in Nigeria was yesterday given at an Ikeja High Court, Lagos.
A witness, Mr. Abdul-Rasak Isa, disclosed how one of the suspects in the reported biggest
fraud trial, Chief Nzeribe Edeh Okoli, transferred N206,677 million from abroad into a bank in
Nigeria.
Standing trial along with Okoli in the matter are Chief Emmanuel Nwude and Mrs Amaka Martina
Anajemba.
Isa, the Executive Director of Safe Trust Savings and Loans Limited, told Justice Joseph
Oyewole of his company's role in the funds transfer.
The suspects are accused of defrauding a Brazilian bank of N62 billion.
Nwude yesterday filed a motion on notice before Justice Oyewole seeking to quash the 98-
count charge of conspiracy and advance fee fraud preferred against him and the other two
suspects.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, Isa disclosed that a large
chunk of the transferred sum was eventually deposited into his company.
He also said that following the inability of his company to get directly involved in the deal, he
introduced the Nigerian bank which finally got the job done for Okoli.
The evidence went thus:
What is the nature of your company?
It is a licensed deposit company and lending money towards property development.
Do you know somebody called Nzeribe Ede Okoli?
Yes, he is a customer with our company. He became our customer in 1995.
Isa narrated how Okoli was introduced to his company by the deceased husband of the
accused, Mrs. Anajemba, Ikechukwu. Okoli opened a personal and company account in the
name of Ocean Oil Marketing Company Limited.
Isa named Nwude as the referee to Okoli's account, which was opened with the savings and
loans company.
Recounting how the money was transferred, the witness said: "The customer asked us if we
were interested in buying foreign exchange, to which we said 'no', we were licensed deposit
operator and not into foreign exchange."
Isa continued: "However, we said we could introduce him (Okoli) to commercial or merchant
banks which could buy FOREX from him. Thereafter, he could bring his naira to his account with
us.
"We now called on some banks and one of the banks offered to buy FOREX from him. He
requested for the bank's foreign correspondence account. They sent it to us and we sent the
account number to him.
"Thereafter, the bank called us that they had received money in the name of Ocean Oil
Marketing Company Ltd. They now issued the naira cheque value and sent it to us to lodge in
the account of the Ocean Oil Marketing Co.
"After this, the cheques were sent for clearing after which the customer was free to raise cheque
to draw money and draft. The customers wrote letters instructing us to raise cash and
sometimes instructed us for payment."
According to him, a total sum of N206,672 million was transferred at different dates between May
12, 1995 and June 30 of the same year.
Isa also said that the accused person instructed the savings and loans company on how the
money was to be paid.
He added that the business relationship ended via a letter dated February 24, 1997, when Okoli
requested for the closure of his account after some of the funds had been moved.
The witness told the court that Okoli only informed him that the funds were from oil business
transactions.
Besides, he told the court that the late Anajemba's account was taken over by his wife, Amaka,
after his death. The trial continues today.
Nwude's motion to quash the charges was filed by his lawyer, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN).
The first accused person wants the court to safeguard his landed property, which he might lose
if found guilty.
The property include: 36 Ikoyi Crescent, Lagos; 60, Marina, Lagos; 60 Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi,
Lagos; 43 Afribank Road, Victoria Island Lagos; and 80 Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos.
Others are 3/5 Abagana Close, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos; 37/39 Awka road, Onitsha, Anambra
State; Russel Centre, Wuse, Abuja; and 60 Chime Avenue, Enugu, Enugu State.
The rest are 2 Trans-Ekulu Avenue, Enugu, Petrol Station at Oyo Agu, Abagana, Anambra
State and F22 Sani Abacha Road, G.R.A, Phase III, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He may also lose the following vehicles: BMW with registration number GA 823 AAA, Honda
Acura with registration number DE 712 KJA, Mercedes Benz with registration number DJ 170
AAA, Porsche with registration number CP524 AAA, Jaguar with registration number CA 340
KJA, BMW with registration No CH 238 SMK, and a Mercedes Benz with registration number CE
511 LND.
Also at risk are 65,119,000 ordinary shares in Union Bank of Nigeria Plc registered in the names
of Emmanuel Nwude-Odingwe, 4,101,000; Precious Nwude one million, Russel Elochukwu 1
million, Daniella Nwude one million, Dian Ebelechukwu 1.5 million, Ekene Nwude two million,
Russel Shopping Mall ltd 6,050,000, Emms Auto Nigeria Ltd 8,130,000, and African Shelter
Bureau Ltd, 9,890,00
He also stands to lose all his shares in his four companies Dax Petroleum, Dax Holdings and
Properties, Godax Group Ltd, Primrole Communications.
In a 12-paragraph affidavit sworn to by one Bello Kasim Abu, the accused person averred that
the Schedule of Assets contained in the proof of evidence at page 727 which stated the above
assets was oppressive against him to allow the trial to proceed. [419 Coalition Note: We
assume that what is meant is that the accused feels that putting the above assets at risk
is too oppressive towards him to allow the trial to proceed, if so, That's some interesting
logic, eh what?] :) :)
"It is in the best interest of justice to quash the charges, discharge and acquit the applicant,"
Bello averred.
419 Coalition Note: Most of the major Nigerian newspapers also carried
pieces on these developments, including ThisDay, Vanguard, and The Punch.
***********************************
19 OCT 2004
From NewAge (Online), a Nigerian newspaper:
ANAJEMBA $242 MILLION SCAM:
Ecobank, MBC and Diamond bought dollars from Anajemba - Witness
By Blessing Eghagha
The on-going trial of Chief Emmanuel Nwude, Mrs. Amaka Anajemba and Chief
Okoli Nzeribe continued yesterday with a prosecution witness Mr. S. Edezo
Daniel Nwangu saying that Ecobank, MBC International and Diamond Bank
were major beneficiaries of funds running into millions of dollars allegedly
transferred from a New York bank account run by the late Chief Anajemba to
off-shore accounts operated by the banks in London.
Mr. Nwangu who was being led in evidence by EFCC chief prosecutor Mr.
Rotimi Jacobs also told the court that as chief executive and chairman of six
companies namely Masters Travels Agency, Dan Starcher Turnkey
Contractors, Omega Engineering Ltd., General Securities and Finance
Company Ltd., McDaniels Nig. Ltd and McDaniels U.K Ltd., he was licensed to
operate a Bureau de Change. At an occasion he told the court, he met the late
Chief Anajemba who told him that he had some hard currencies he made from
petroleum business and that he was in desperate search for a buyer that would
pay the equivalent of $5 million in naira.
Consequently, he contacted MBC International Bank which bought $1.7 million
and paid N142 million into the late Anajemba’s account here in Nigeria. He
also told the court that he sold $1.7 million to Ecobank and another $1.2 million
to Diamond Bank. Others who received monies in the laundering deals
included G. Cappa Limited which received $300,000 (three hundred thousand
dollars) and Campbell Tobacco which also received the sum of $560,000 (five
hundred and sixty thousand) on the instruction of the late Chief Anajemba.
When asked by Mr. Jacobs whether he knew the source of the funds he
answered "it was during investigation that I discovered that the money was
paid by Stanturn Development Corporation."
Furthermore, he told the court that his business transactions with the late Chief
Anajemba has put his company and himself into "great financial and emotional
strain" saying that he has been dragged to different courts in New York, New
Jersey, Florida and London. These transactions, he told the court "have been
ruinous to me."
Earlier on, presiding judge, the Hon. Justice Kayode Oyewole complained to
Chief Chris Uche (SAN) and Mr. Ofolue, defence counsel that he had received
one or two visitors whom he would not like to name. He warned that nobody
should interfere with the course of justice saying that as "a judge I am also a
human being."
"I have relations. I have friends. I went to school so people know me. But I will
not decide this case on anything outside what is presented before the court."
Mrs. Amaka Anajemba, Chief Emmanuel Nwude and Chief Okoli Nzeribe are
facing a 92 count charge of obtaining money by false pretences, money
laundering and other related offences. They were alleged to have duped one
Mr. Nelson Sakaguchi of the sum of $242 million in a scam that has been
described as the single biggest fraud in the world. A leading bank in Brazil was
liquidated in the business deal. It was reported that some of the directors in that
bank committed suicide in order to avoid prosecution. Trial resumes next
Wednesday.
It would be recalled that a witness, at the last hearing had named three other
banks as having served as conduits for the Anajemba booty.
Here is he URL of the story for as long as it is good:
http://www.newage-online.com/news/article03
419 Coalition note: Most of the major Nigerian papers carried this
story as well.
******************************************
18 OCT 2004
From the Australian Associated Press (AAP):
Melbourne, Australia: Financial planner falls for Nigerian scam
A financial planner today pleaded guilty in the Melbourne County Court to fraud
after being caught up in a Nigerian scam.
Robert Andrew Street of Mitcham, an eastern suburb in Melbourne, pleaded
guilty to five charges of obtaining a financial advantage by deception between
September 2001 and August 2002 to a total of $1.03 million.
The court head that an investigation carried out by the Australian Securities
Investment Commission (ASIC) found Mr Street told clients he needed funding
to complete a number of investment projects he was developing, including an
electronic system of tracking stolen cars and a bank scheme to reduce
mortgage repayments.
ASIC said that instead, Mr Street was caught up in a Nigerian scam where he
believed that a person purporting to be a representative of the Nigerian
government had offered to transfer $US65 million to him, upon payment of
certain up-front fees.
Mr Street transferred the majority of the clients' funds to various overseas
destinations and also spent $10,000 of clients' money to buy mobile
telephones which he sent to an address in Nigeria.
None of the clients' money has been recovered.
The case has been adjourned to November 4 for sentencing.
******************************************
8 OCT 2004
From the Daily Independent (Online) a
Nigerian newspaper:
Police arrest LASU student, others for swindling Briton
By Maxwell Oditta, Senior Correspondent, Lagos
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 200 level student of Industrial Relations and
Personnel Management at the Lagos State University. The student identified as Mobolaji
Abdullahi Ashimi with two others, were alleged to have swindled a Briton, Miss Jane Harris.
Ashimi was also alleged to have used a fake name, Ben Jackson, in the course of transaction
with Miss Harris to order the purchase of a computer laptop through the Internet and paid the
sum of £350 with a forged international bank draft of the Bank of Ireland.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Israel Ajao, paraded 23-year-old Ashimi and his
co-conspirators, Akin-Wale Victor and Moshood Banjo, before newsmen on Tuesday at his
command headquarters in Ikeja. The police chief recounted the incident thus:
"The complainant (Harris) believing the transaction was genuine posted the computer through
United Parcel Services (UPS) to the said Ben Jackson whose actual name is Mobolaji
Abdulahi Ashimi. On presentation of the cheque in England, it was found to be forged."
Harris, who gave her address as No. 95, Meadfield Road, Langley, England, quickly contacted
Ajao through his direct line. The Lagos police boss said he swiftly deployed all necessary
instruments to recover the consignment and arrest the suspects on Wednesday, September 29,
2004.
Ajao said the police recovered the computer from the UPS by posing as UPS officials and
inviting Ashimi to pick up his consignment. He was arrested the moment he showed up at the
UPS office. His two accomplices, both practicing computer maintenance engineers, were
subsequently arrested.
Items recovered from the three include a blank international bank draft of Bank of Ireland, a
blank cheque of Bankers Trust Company payable at Bankers Trust in New York, cashier
cheque of Bankers Trust Company also payable in New York. The police say all recovered
cheques have already been signed by the suspects and ready for fraudulent use against
unsuspecting Internet traders.
Furthermore, other items recovered also from the suspect include the list of 39 foreign nationals
containing their addresses, e-mail, zip code, including that of Harris, who are suspected to have
been defrauded. "During the search, we also found a First Bank of Nigeria Statement of
Account, Lagos State Government Income Tax Clearance, fake Corporate Affairs Commission
certificate of registration, among others," Ajao said.
Daily Independent investigation revealed that 22-year-old Akinwale prepared the fake
cheques, while 27-year-old Banjo arranged business negotiations with prospective ‘clients’. But
Banjo, who introduced himself as Ashimi’s cousin, denied his role, saying he was implicated
when the police saw his name in an envelope in his cousin’s abode.
When he spoke with our correspondent, Ashimi expressed regret for the attempted swindle,
saying he needed the proceeds for paying his school fees.
"I believe I have already tarnished my image by dubbing an innocent woman. My advice to
people is that they should always wait for their turn," he added.
*****************************************
6 OCT 2004
From the Khaleej Times Online, Dubai UAE:
Nigerian con man takes Kuwaiti for Dh3.1 m ride
By Hani M Bathish
Kuwaiti businessman has filed a civil case against a Nigerian con artist who
managed to cheat him out of Dh3.1 million. The con man, S. M. B., is currently a
resident of the Dubai Central Jail having been sentenced to three years in
prison earlier this year by the Dubai Court of First Instance for cheating Y. Y. A.,
a Kuwaiti national of large sums of money.
After a ruling was issued in the criminal component of the case, the Kuwaiti
businessman, represented by the lawyer Sameer Ja’afar, filed a civil case to
recover his money.
The case goes back to early January this year, when S. M. B. contacted Y. Y.
A. in Kuwait telling him that he had heard of him through business colleagues in
Egypt and wanted to meet the Kuwaiti businessman face to face in Dubai to
propose a business venture. After repeated calls, Y. Y. A. finally agreed to
meet with S. M. B. in Dubai where they met on January 20.
S. M. B. said that he and other colleagues had hundreds of millions in Euros
and GBPs but were facing political difficulties in transferring these funds out of
Nigeria and wanted Y. Y. A.’s assistance in accessing these funds. In return the
Kuwaiti businessman would be paid 15 per cent of the total amount for his
assistance. To reassure Y. Y. A. that he was being honest with him, S. M. B.
took him to his apartment and showed him a brief case full of Euros and gave
him a sample of the cash to check for himself.
After taking a sample of the money, Y. Y. A. went to his bank to check its
authenticity and upon confirmation from the bank that the banknote was
genuine, Y. Y. A. withdrew $551,000 in cash from his account, as well as 20 kilos
of gold, worth Dh1.1 million, and Dh10, 000 in cash and gave it to S. M. B..
Y. Y. A. also agreed to transfer a further 200 kilos of gold to Switzerland the next
day but did not as he grew suspicious of S. M. B. and called the police. S. M. B.
was arrested while boarding a flight bound for Ethiopia.
Police recovered only $ 69,694, Euro 30,000 and small amounts in other
currencies, as well as 30 gold coins and some gold jewellery that was with S.
M. B.. The rest of the money had already been transferred out of the country.
Here is the URL of the piece for as long as it is good:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/Displayarticle.asp?section=theuae&xfile=data/theuae/2004/october/theuae_october111.xml
***************************************
6 OCT 2004
From the Daily Independent, a Nigerian newspaper:
Suspects in $247million fraud seek out of court settlement
By Victor Efeizomor, Law Reporter, Lagos
Indications emerged on Tuesday at the Ikeja High Court that the three suspects standing trial
over alleged involvement in an advance fee fraud of $247 million (about N34 billion) are making
frantic efforts to settle the matter out of court.
At the resumed hearing of the matter, counsels to the accused persons led by Alex Iziyon (SAN)
said the accused persons have been holding discussions with the prosecution and the victims
of the scam since Monday, and that court should step down on the matter for some time to
enable them reach an agreement.
At this point, the prosecution counsel Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that he has no objection
and that the court should stand down the matter for a short while.
Following this development, the presiding Judge, Justice Joseph Oyewale granted the
application and asked the parties to go for a brief discussion. He however quickly added that
the decision of the parties was not binding on the court.
The parley, involving all the accused persons, Chief Emmanuel Nwude, a Director at Union
Bank, Mrs. Aamaka Maritina Anajemba and Chief Edeh Okoli as well as the victims of the scam
including officials of the Brazilian Bank, lasted for two and half hours outside the courtroom.
When the parties returned to the courtroom for the proceeding to commence, Iziyon, counsel to
the first accused person, sought the courts permission to move an application for adjournment,
to enable him prepare for the Abuja New Legal Year celebration where he is expected to
present a paper. But Justice Oyewale interjected saying that he did not plan for the stand down
and adjournment as he was prepared to continue with the matter.
While alluding to the import of the discussion, Iziyon quickly told the judge that if he was privy to
the discussions, he would know its usefulness as that would save him the trouble of bothering
himself with too much writing in the court.
The defence counsel agreed to the adjournment, while Jacobs, the prosecution counsel who
initially objected to it, after listing to the argument of other counsels agreed to an adjournment.
Justice Oyewale therefore fixed October 18, 20, 21 and 23, 2004 respectively, for the hearing of
the matter.
Note: ThisDay also carried a piece on this story.
******************************
5 OCT 2004
From ThisDay, a Nigerian newspaper:
$242m Scam: 3 Banks Named in Money Laundering Deals
By Abimbola Akosile
Three banks and two companies were yesterday named as active participants in a $242 million
Advance Fee Fraud a.k.a. 419 scam, involving Mrs. Amaka Anajemba, Chief Emmanuel
Nwude, and Mr. Nzeribe Edeh Okoli, which took place over a three-year period.
Following examination of the 1st Prosecution Witness (PW1), Mr. John Babatunde Soares in the
de novo (fresh) trial before Ikeja High Court judge, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, Chief Emmanuel
Nwude (1st accused person), Nigerian Intercontinental Merchant Bank (now Inter-continental
Bank), Industrial Bank (now City Express Bank), Equatorial Trust Bank (ETB), Union Trust
Building Society Limited, and an Indian company, Royal Crest Nig. Limited, were named in
several money laundering deals.
The accused persons, who were re-arraigned in Lagos on Friday, July 23, by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following an Abuja High Court dismissal of the former
86 - count charge brought against them in July, are to face a fresh 98-count charge, in
accordance with Sections 1(1)(a) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act of 1995 as amended by
Act 62 of 1998. The trial is expected to last till October 6.
In a packed courtroom yesterday, Soares, a chartered banker, in response to questions during
the evidence-in-chief by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (EFCC counsel), revealed how he carried out
several foreign exchange transactions between the above-mentioned banks and companies,
on behalf of Nwude and the late Ikechukwu Anajemba.
Soares, formerly a suspect arrested by EFCC who later turned prosecution witness, confessed
to having moved foreign currencies totalling $10.1m in forex deals on behalf of Nwude, who had
allegedly told him he was into spare parts, tyres, and crude oil businesses...
For the rest of the article, which is basically detail testimony from
Soares, go here for as long as the link is good:
http://www.thisdayonline.com/news/20041005news03.html
******************************************************
19 SEP 2004
From the Daily (Sunday) Champion,
a Nigerian newspaper:
Cybercafe fraudsters arrested in EFCC-FBI joint operations
$3.5m recovered
TWENTY-eight Internet fraudsters have been arrested in Lagos, in joint operations between the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the United States Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI).
Also, $3.5 million (N490 million) was recovered in fraudulent cashier cheques and goods
bought over the Internet and shipped to Nigeria by credit card scammers.
A release signed by Mr Osita Nwajah, head, Media and Publicity of EFCC said the year-long
cooperation targeted the rising cases of cyber crime, especially credit card fraud in Nigeria.
Some of the suspected fraudsters are to be charged to court soon, Nwajah said.
Meanwhile, the United States Attorney General, John Asheroft has commended President
Olusegun Obasanjo for setting up EFCC.
Ashcroft gave the public commendation, last month at an international media conference of law
enforcement agencies to review Operation Web Snare, an inter-agency initiative, in
Washington USA.
Ashcroft, noted that cyber crime was a major global source of worry adding that only committed
governments and cooperative efforts between law enforcement agencies around the world can
effectively tackle the menace.
He singled out Nigeria as one fine example where such a government exists and where joint
operations between EFCC and FBI have been exceptionally fruitful.
419 Coalition comment: We anxiously await both convictions and
repatriations of funds in these and other cases, but there has been
neither to date - not even in the Ghasemi case where CBN announced
years ago that it had recovered the victim/s money.
********************************************
8 SEP 2004
For those interested in a bit of gallows humor,
please see the following piece from The Register
in the UK and be sure to click on the links :)
The piece is titled:
"419ers launch online educational facility"
Here is the URL for as long as it is good:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/08/university_of_nigeria/
*********************************************
8 SEP 2004
Ultrascan Advanced Global Investigations, out of
Holland, is interested in the whereabouts of this alleged
419er and any other details anyone has on him. If you
recognize this man, and have details on him, please contact
Monica at ultrasca@apexmail.com
This pic seems to be an odd type file( .oko ) but we were able
to open it with the Windows Fax and Picture Viewer.
Paper: "Nigerian Internet 419 on the Loose" by Femi Oyesanya (gamji.com)
Here is the link for as long as it is good.
*********************************************
18 JAN 2004
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Nigerians running lucrative swindles;
Trail leads to man in North Versailles
By Torsten Ove
A small game of deceit played out two weeks ago in North
Versailles.
On Jan. 2, a United Parcel Service deliveryman showed
up at a Della Drive apartment with a package addressed
to Ken Smith.
A man answered the door and signed for the parcel, which
contained more than $200,000 worth of cashier's checks.
But nothing was as it seemed.
The UPS man was really a U.S. postal inspector.
Ken Smith was really a Nigerian named Adebayo B. Adedimila.
And the cashier's checks? Counterfeit.
Adedimila, 28, was taken into custody and faces charges
in federal court of trying to defraud 20 people in an Internet
auction scheme that is increasingly popular among endlessly
resourceful Nigerians.
The con is a version of the old "Nigerian 419" scam, named
for Section 419 of the Nigerian penal code.
"That's their latest trick," said Jeff Eisenbeiser, head of the
U.S. Secret Service in Pittsburgh.
Adedimila's arrest represents a tiny victory in the battle against
Nigerian rip-off artists who have been preying on Americans
for 20 years.
The schemes started in the early 1980s with letters and faxes
sent to businesses. But the Internet has opened up a world of
potential marks, leading to a flood of e-mail solicitations.
Among them are the familiar spam messages from West
Africans who have a "VERY URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL"
and need your help transferring millions of dollars from a secret
account in Africa to yours in America.
But it's the auction scheme that is proving more lucrative.
"This is 10 times larger than that," said U.S. Postal Inspector
Andrew Richards, head of the Financial Crimes Task Force of
Southwestern Pennsylvania. "Instead of going for $60 million,
they're going for $6,000. They're going for smaller amounts
and they are being incredibly successful."
Typically, a Nigerian will contact a person trying to sell
something on Internet auction sites such as eBay.
He tells the seller that he has a "friend" in the United States
who owes him money. He says the friend will send the seller a
cashier's check, but the check will be for a few thousand dollars
more than the item costs.
The check is then shipped to the cohort in the United States --
this was Adedimila's role, federal agents say -- who sends it to
the unsuspecting seller through the U.S. mail.
Finally, the buyer asks the seller to send back the extra money
by Western Union wire. Some do, and never see their money again.
"Often, the sellers act as requested and wire the additional funds
prior to the cashier's check being returned as counterfeit to the
seller's bank," said Postal Inspector Joseph Bell in a search
warrant affidavit for Adedimila's apartment. "This scheme has
affected thousands of victims across the United States and
resulted in the loss of millions of dollars."
Some potential victims are smart enough not to be taken.
Two men in Michigan and Georgia were potential marks for
Adedimila and his partner in Lagos, Nigeria, who sometimes
used the name David Nelson online.
Chris Odom, a photographer from Athens, Ga., was contacted
by Nelson last month when he was trying to sell a Nikon camera
for $3,750 on a professional sports photography auction site.
Nelson initially bid $4,000.
But later he sent this note, written in the kind of halting English
that agents say scammers use to make themselves seem authentic:
"Hello Chris, I must tell you that payment will be in excess of $8,000.
I have contacted a friend of mine owing me in USA to make the payment
on my behalf to you. I have also instructed him to issue out the check for
the amount of $8,000 on your name. After you might have received the
check from my client you will need to deduct the cost (of the camera)
and have my balance sent to me through Western Union money transfer
to London, England, and through my personal assistance name. Reason
is because I'm presently out of town for a professional conference in
South Africa. David Nelson."
Odom thought the request was bizarre.
"I had a suspicion it was some sort of scam," he said last week.
"If you are serious, you do not need to send a money order to me
for $8,000," he wrote back. "The [camera] is for $4,000 and that is
well enough with shipping and insurance."
William Corne III, 19, of Saginaw, Mich., didn't fall for the scheme,
either. He was selling a subwoofer on eBay for $170, but Nelson
wanted to send him $5,000.
"I thought it was ridiculously strange," he said.
Nelson sent the cashier's checks anyway, and did the same for
20 others he had contacted in the U.S. and Canada.
Agents say that's typical, because while most potential marks
won't wire back any money, one or two might.
"It's definitely a volume business," Eisenbeiser said.
It works in part because the cashier's checks look so good.
"I've seen them. I defy you to tell they are not real," said
Barbara Petito, spokeswoman for the state attorney
general's office.
But Nelson apparently didn't count on "Operation Tidalwave,"
an international crackdown on Nigerian fraud.
On Dec. 23, British customs agents at London's Heathrow
Airport intercepted a package of checks originating from Lagos
and bound for Ken Smith in North Versailles.
Inspectors found $226,000 worth of phony cashier's checks in the
names of Odom, Corne and 18 others. Postal inspectors set up
a delivery in which one of them would pose as a deliveryman.
That's what happened Jan. 2, when Adedimila was arrested.
The U.S. attorney's office asked that he be detained as a
flight risk, but a federal magistrate released him to stay with
a Nigerian friend in Turtle Creek. No one there could be
reached for comment.
U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said she couldn't comment
on whether investigators had arrested or were seeking Nelson
or anyone else working with Adedimila.
But she said the case would be among several local prosecutions
highlighted next month when her office and the Financial Crimes
Task Force conducts an awareness program on 419 schemes
and other cons.
"We plan to educate the public about these," she said. "We are
going to focus on international fraud schemes."
Those include more traditional 419s, such as the spam messages
flooding in-boxes worldwide.
The sender often claims to be an "official" or perhaps the son of
some deposed leader who was murdered, imprisoned or killed
in a terrible plane crash. He's the only one who knows millions
of dollars were hidden away just before the tragic death. But the
funds will remain frozen until they can be secretly transferred
to a private account -- yours.
If you help, you're supposed to get a cut of the total. But as you
get drawn in, you are eventually asked to help finance the transaction,
sometimes to the point of traveling to Nigeria or a neighboring country.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette gets pitches like this every day,
including this one last week:
"I am contacting you because of my need to deal with persons
whom my family and I can lay trust and personal relationships on.
Since the murder of my father, I have been subjected to all
sorts of harassment and intimidation with lots of negative
reports emanating from the Government and the press about
my family. The present Government has also ensured that our
bank accounts are frozen and all assets seized. It is in view of
this that I seek your cooperation and assistance in the transfer
of the sum of Thirty Million United States Dollars (US
$30,000,000.00) being the very last hope for my family and I."
Lately these e-mails seem to be coming from other nations
besides Nigeria, such as Liberia, Sri Lanka and even China
and the United Kingdom.
Some are from copycats, but most are sent by Nigerians, either
in those countries or routed through someone there, according
to investigators.
"It's all Nigerian," said Charles Pascale of Harrisonburg, Va., head
of the 419 Coalition, a citizens group devoted to educating the public
about the schemes. "It's really a cottage industry in Nigeria. It might
be said that, after football, it's the national sport of Nigeria."
No one can say for sure why.
"The Nigerian government blames the growing problem on mass
unemployment, extended family systems, a get-rich-quick syndrome,
and, especially, the greed of foreigners," says a Secret Service
419 advisory.
The Secret Service fields 450 complaints a day, but stopping
the scammers is difficult. Agents have arrested some 250 people
there in recent years, but the 419 Coalition says most of those
suspects were never punished because Nigerian authorities
are uncooperative.
Federal agencies have long identified specific versions of the
419. There's the bogus real estate deal, the crude oil for
below-market-prices deal, even the "bill-washing" scam in
which the mark travels to Nigeria, eyeballs a suitcase full
of cash and is talked into paying thousands for chemicals to
clean black powder off the bills.
The e-mails introducing these deals seem like obvious scams.
So why do people fall for them?
"Greed is a major reason," Buchanan said. "Second, people are
often more trusting than they should be. Particularly older people."
Many victims are too embarrassed to pursue a prosecution,
Buchanan said, but her office has received complaints. Some
victims have flown to Nigeria to try to collect, a very bad move. An
American was murdered in Lagos in 1995 pursuing a 419 payoff.
"There's a perception that no one is prone to this kind of thing,"
Eisenbeiser said. "But a large number of individuals are enticed
into believing they've been singled out to share in a windfall.
The victims run the gamut. The elderly. Businessmen. Doctors.
Lawyers. No one would think it could happen to them."
********************************************************
13 JAN 2004
From the Daily Graphic, a Ghanian newspaper:
$48.6m FRAUD BUSTED . 2 Nigerians picked up
By Michael Donkor
TWO Nigerians who attempted to dupe the Bank of
Ghana (BoG) of $48.6 million
have been arrested by the Commercial Crime Unit of
the Ghana Police Service.
They are Frank Eleazer Ahumibe, 41, and Innocent
Emeka Okoye, 36. The two
were picked up at a restaurant in Accra upon a
tip-off.
Other members believed to be connected to the plot
are said to be on the run
and are being tracked down by the police.The two
suspects were alleged to
have designed letterheads of the Bank of Ghana, with
some bearing
information that "$45 million and $3,650,000 had
been transferred from two
banks abroad into an account at the International
Remittance Department of
BoG".
Another letter which bore the watermark "original"
of the BoG and purported
to have been signed by the Deputy Governor confirmed
that the bank had
successfully taken delivery of the $45 million and
$3,650,000 from the Bank
of Simpanan Nasional, Kuala Lumpur branch, Malaysia
and the Central Bank of
Cote d' Ivoire and that the amount should be
released to the owner.
The Head of the Commercial Crime Unit of the CID,
Chief Superintendent Ken
Yeboah, said the police had information from the BoG
that some people had
designed letterheads of the bank and were using them
to perpetrate crime and
that one of them had been seen at an Internet cafe
photocopying such
documents.
In one instance, the suspects were alleged to have
written to a businessman
in Accra, informing him of the successful transfer
of his money from Zurich
as a result of his oil contract.They requested that
the businessman should
pay $7,310 daily for keeping the money at BoG on his
behalf.
Following the complaint by the BoG, the police
started trailing the suspects
and later spotted them at a restaurant and arrested
them.They were escorted
to their house at Hydrofoam Estate, off the Spintex
Road and when Frank's
room was searched, some documents including fake
letterheads of the BOG with
inscriptions and the signature of the Deputy
Governor endorsed on them were
found.
The two claimed they lived together in the same
house but the police found
nothing to prove that more than one person lived in
the house.Police
strongly believed that some of the documents may
have been passed on to
somebody while they were looking for the suspects.
Further investigations
are being conducted by the police into the matter.
*******************************************
8 JAN 2004
From the Daily Times, a Nigerian newspaper:
Gloria Abraham, granted bail, rearrested
RANTI THOMAS
A 35-year-old woman who was granted bail in the sum of N1 million
after pleading not guilty to a three-count criminal charge of conspiracy,
stealing and Advanced Fees Fraud was immediately re-arrested by
the police on Wednesday moment after she stepped out of the
court premises.
Gloria Abraham who was charged for allegedly collecting the sum
of N2.3 million from Mrs. Ngozi Okoronkwo and two others on the
pretext that she had 836 bags of rice to supply them, a claim, the
police said, she was aware was untrue thus making her to have
committed an offence punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal
code Cap 32 Vol. 2 laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 1994.
The second charge stated that Gloria Abraham and others now
at large did fraudulently convert to their personal use the sum of
N2.3 million property of one Mrs. Ngozi Okoronkwo and two
others, an offence punishable under section 383 (2) of the
criminal code Cap 32 Vol. Laws of Lagos State.
The accused person pleaded not guilty and the presiding
Chief Magistrate Mrs. Ayo Odugbesan granted her bail in the
sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.
However, moments after stepping out of the court premises,
police officers who had laid ambush around the court premises
re-arrested her despite spirited efforts by her team of lawyers
to prevent her from being re-arrested.
One of the police officers who spoke with the DAILY TIMES on
the condition of anonymity said the accused person was re-arrested
so that she could be tried for other offences.
The police officer said Abraham had over 100 petitions written
against her by aggrieved traders who alleged that she had
duped them of their money on the pretext that she was going
to sell rice to them.
The case was adjourned till February 18.
***************************************************
1 JAN 2004
Here is a reprint of an item posted in our 12 DEC 2000
news. Central Bank of Nigeria, amidst much fanfare,
announced going on three years ago that they had
recovered the Ghasemi's 419ed monies. However,
the Ghasemis have yet to receive their recovered
monies from the Central Bank of Nigeria as of this date,
though the US State Department has written CBN that
the funds can be repatriated by CBN at any time:
Anatomy of a case - this is a mix of Will Scam 419 and
Black Currency 419. The victims in this case are seeking
contacts with other victims. We received it 28 NOV 2000
and sent it onwards immediately to appropriate government
agencies but have been holding it from public release until
now to give time for investigators to work. A slightly edited
version ( for security and investigative purposes ) of their
case report is below in their own words:
From: Kennedy Walk- In Clinic
3308 West Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa FL, 33609
Phone Number- (813) 874-2400
Rubycafe1@aol.com
To Whom It May Concern:
Hello, my name is Shahla Ghasemi and my husband is Dr. Ali-Reza
Ghasemi, we are American citizens who live in Tampa, Florida. Our telephone
number for your convenience is (813) 874-2400 and (813) 832-4515, our address
is above. This is what had happened to us and how we got involved in the
Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud. About 3 months ago, we got a phone call from
Nigeria by a man named Dr. Ali Abubabker -I don't believe that is his real
name--his phone number is 234-1-774-1703. He introduced himself to us as the
director of NNPC. He said that he had a confidential message for my husband,
but if we were to expose this message he could lose his job and his life. He
told us that he would receive a very big commission from this. The story that
he told us was that one foreign contractor from our country who died
transferred $27,400,000.00 to Dr. Ali Reza Ghasemi. We were very shocked.
After that, he faxed all the documents and attached all the needed documents.
We looked over everything and they all seemed real, all bore the government's
official seals and stamps. Then he faxed us a copy of our bank information,
which we filled out and faxed back to him. On August 14,2000 we received a
letter from the bank which stated that we needed to hire a power of attorney.
His name is F.A. Williams and his telephone is 234-1-774-0939. We contacted
Mr. Williams and he asked us to send him $7,250.00 for the court registration
fee through Western Union. We sent the money with a fee, which came out to be
$7,565.00. Attached is a copy of the receipt that we sent through Western
Union to Mr. Williams. After they had received the payment, Mr. Williams said
that everything was ready. Mr. Williams was at the bank and called us and
asked us for a copy of SEPA. We had no idea what that was, so we called Dr.
Abubaker who said that he didn't have the form and thought that maybe the
original contractor hadn't paid for it. They then asked us for $27,400.00 but
with a fee we paid nearly $30,000.00 through Western Union. After two days,
Mr. Williams had called and congratulated us. He said that our money had been
transferred and he faxed me a copy of the transaction, which stated that our
money had left the bank and was on its way into our account. In that same
week, Dr. Abubaker had faxed me his confirmation ticket saying that he was on
his way into America, and that we should send him money to buy his ticket.
The following day Mr. Williams called and said that our money had been
stopped because of a shorting tax that needed to be paid which hadn't been
paid. He faxed me an invoice for $63,250.00 bill for the tax. We transferred
this money through our bank to Prism Company at Nigeria. Two days later he
called and said that everything was fine. He said that we should be hearing
from our bank representative very soon. Two days later we received a call
from Carlos White from Atlanta, Georgia in America. He introduced himself as
a NCB Bank Representative with the phone number of 404-944-1842. He said that
our money was ready and that we needed to fly to Atlanta to transfer the
account into our account. We asked why and he said because the money was big
and he needed to transfer the money in front us. He told us to bring a copy
of our driver license,a copy of the contract, and $11,500 in cash. The same
evening my husband, daughter, and myself flew to Atlanta. We got a hotel
room. Then next day we called Mr. White to make an appointment with him at
our bank, First Union. He said that he had to send a bank representative to
our hotel room. When we got back, he sent two men by the names of Mustafa
Sharief and Agu Jbreh. They received all the documents and $11,500 in cash
and then they told us to wait for two hours at which time our money would be
transferred into our account. We waited for a few hours and kept calling them
and they had said that no transaction had occurred. So we decided to head
back to Tampa, while we were in line checking our bags and reserving our
tickets, we were contacted by Mr. White by our cell phone. We told him that
we were leaving and ready to go back to Tampa, He got very mad and said that
we couldn't go back because the transaction hadn't been closed yet and that
he still needed to talk to us. We went back to our hotel and we had to
reserve another room. We called Mr. White and he said that he would be
sending two people. After two hours, two people arrived by the names of
Mustafa Sharife and the other didn't give his name, but I do remember his
face. They came and told us that the government of Nigeria had approved our
payment to be physical cash. We asked them what that meant and they said that
it was real physical cash. Then they asked us to go to their car to see the
cash and get the cash or to wait and transfer the money into our bank
account. They said that the money couldn't get into our account until it had
been cleaned. We asked them what they meant and they went to the car and came
back with 5 pieces of black paper. Then they went into the bathroom sink and
with some chemicals cleaned the black paper and it turned out to be $100.00
bills. We told them that it was fine. They could clean the money and deposit
it into our account. Then Mr. Sharrif called Carols White and he said that we
had to pay for the chemicals, we asked how much they need and he said it was
$185,000. We told him if he could take the 185,000 from the money but he said
that he could not touch the original money. Then we decided to go back to
Tampa. From that night we decided to contact the Nigerian government and our
attorney Mr. Williams. I called Dr. Abubaker and I called Mr. Williams, they
acted normal and they didn't know what Mr. White had told me and then Mr.
Williams told me that he had to go and speak with the president of Nigeria in
Abuja and get his advice. Two days later, he called me and said that we had
no choice but to pay the money for the chemicals, but he said that we should
send him a copy of the receipt so that after the government received their
money from America and Japan in January or February they would reimburse my
money that we paid them for the chemicals. Mr. White was calling me and
asking me for money for the chemicals. Finally we wired $150,000 to them. Two
days later, Mr. White called me from Atlanta and asked for a Rolex watch for
the president of Nigeria so that he could basically smother the president and
get a better job in Nigeria in addition he wanted $350,000. The $350,000 was
for the purpose of opening an account for me for a CBN transit account. I
told him that he didn't tell us anything about this before, he told us after
he had cleaned the money. That same day I spoke to our consultant and told
him what happened to us and he said that we had been involved in a scam. He
showed us the many different stories and example on the Internet of this scam
and the many different victims that it had happened to. We found many
different numbers to call for help including the Nigerian police. Sir/Mam,
we really need your help. We lost almost $400,000 on this matter. We are just
a middle class family, my husband is a physician and I am a nurse. We
borrowed money from many different places to pay to these people. Now
we lost our credit and everything else. We beg for you to help us to arrest
these people and get our money back. Please feel free to contact us at
our phone number for any further information.
[ Paragraph edited out ]
[ Paragraph edited out ]
I called my bank and I asked them for a refund, my bank requested a
refund through the Bank of New York. I got the number for the Bank of New
York and asked them where did they send my money.
The representative said that they had sent the money to Lagos in Nigeria and
Beirut in Lebanon, I asked for the phone number of the banks but they said
that they didn't have it. They said that they had a representative at Nigeria
who works for the Bank of New York. He is at Lagos and his name is Mr. Shay
(phone number 234-1-2693327). The bank said that they sent the money to him
and he sent it to the Bank of Omega (phone number is 234-1-2620851). I called
to the Omega Bank Director, Mrs. Odunsi. I explained the situation and I
faxed a letter of complaint. She said they got the money from the Bank of New
York.
She then said the money was sent to the Atlantic Precision LTD (phone number
is 234-1-2640120). The manager is Mr. Ikye, Eugwu. I spoke with Mr. Eugwu and
I requested for a refund, I am yet waiting for his action towards this
manner.
On November 2, 2000, I contacted with Mr. Ikye,
Eugwen (director of Atlantic Precision LDT concerning when he was going to
refund my money. He said that he couldn't refund the money because he paid
the money to Mr. Bashiru, Ibrahim (phone numbers are 234-1-775-3112,
234-1-493-3445, and 234-1-804-3445). I said "Mr. Eugwn I sent my money from
America to the Atlantic Precision LTD and it is your responsibility to
collect my money from whoever received it." He then said "I am not a
collector and don't call me anymore," after that he hung up. After that
incident I called Mr. Bashrim and I explained what Mr. Eugwn had told me from
the Atlantic Precision LTD, he said that he had received the money and would
not be refunding it. I asked who he is and did you give anything in replace
of my money, he said that it is their business; this is the way we live. I
told him that I am going to call the police at Nigeria and I am going to send
a letter to the Nigerian President. He said that he didn't care and used an
excessive amount of profanity towards the President and the police. Then he
proceeded on by saying that this is another way of income besides the oil
that is coming into the country. He said that the President and the
government knows about this. He also proceeded on by using curses and also by
threatening. Now I believe that not only are Dr. Ali Abubaker, Mr. F.A.
Williams, Mr. Carlos White (real name Ojbe, Onokaite and phone number in
America is 404-944-1842) but also Mr. Bashiru and Atlantic Precision LTD are
also included in this scam. I have also found the number for the director of
CBN from the Internet. His name is Mr. Joseph Sanusi (phone number
234-1-266-0100) to tell him about how the people are using the CBN's name
improperly. I decided to call him and one person who answered his phone
proceeded on to tell me to call him at his private number
(011-234-1-775-4327). I called him and told him my contract number and he
said that everything was fine with my contract. He also asked me to fax the
document to his attention at 44-870-134-9987. I asked him where this is and
he said it is at London. It was then where I found out that this is another
scammer. I hope that Mr. Joseph Sanusi can read this and find out who is
really working for him and answering his calls. In conclusion, I would just
like to point out that these scammers have created a horrible name for
Nigeria. The people wont trust anyone from that country and yes there are
some wonderful and innocent people out there whom our money should go to,
but not to these 419ers [ remark edited slightly ].
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