The convicted mother, Mrs. Alaba covering her face while being taking away by the warders
FBI Report: Court Sentences Mother, Son To 3 Years Over $82.5k USD Fraud
A Federal High Court, Lagos, today, convicted and sentenced a woman, Alaba Kareem Adeyemi and her son, Damilola Ahmed Adeyemi, to three years imprisonment over fraud of $82,570, 000 United State’s dollar.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, convicted and sentenced the mother and her son to the jail terms, after they pleaded guilty to four count charge of conspiracy, internet fraud, obtaining under false pretence and impersonation leveled against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The convicts, were arrested and brought before the following a report released by the America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Arraigning them before the court today, the EFCC counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, told the court that the convicts alongside Karren Russel, (still at large) conspired among themselves and fraudulently impersonated the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American Cranes Manufacturing Company and defrauded tje said company of the sum of $82,570.00.
The two defendants pleaded to the charge, the development that pave was for the prosecution to review the fact of the case against them.
In reviewing the fact of the charge, a detective with the anti-graft agency, Inspector Idi Musa, told the court that sometimes in April 2019, EFCC received a petition from the FBI and upon analysing the petition, the two convicts were arrested.
“Sometimes in April, 2019, the EFCC received an intelligence from the FBI of United State of America against the two defendants and others at large.
“The intelligence revealed that a United State manufacturing company, its official email through Chief Executive Officer was hacked by the first defendant and other cocl-conspirators at large, as a result, the company lose the sum of $82, 000 USD.
“More so, the first defendant and others engaged in businesses of mail compromise, romance scam targeted at US citizen, where the victims loss various amount of Dollars to the first defendant, Damilola) and his syndicates.
“These funds were transferred to the Russel Karren account domiciled in Commonwealth Bank of Australia, after which it was transfered to the first defendant’s account with Standard Charter Bank of Nigeria between 2016 and 2019.
“During investigation, all accounts linked to the first defendant was traced and it was then we discovered that the first defendant had received the total sum of $311, 000 USD through his bank accounts with Standard Charter Bank and Polaris Bank”.
Musa also told the court that the second defendant, Alaba, who is a mother to the first defendant received over N50 million from the proceed of crime. Adding that the two convicts were arrested on September 6, 2019, after which their statements were taken.
The detective further told the court the the first defendant used the sum of N34 .8 million to buy property from Andron Homes and Properties, in the name of the second defendant, his mother. And also the sum of N21.6 million traced to the account of Crystal High Homes and Properties in the name of their company, Great Mush Homes and Properties.
Hr also informed the court that the sun of N10 million, $24, 585, USD; N421, 0000, was traced to the account of the second defendant domiciled in Polaris Bank. While one IPhone was recovered from the first defendant.
Upon conclusion of the review of the fact of the case, the prosecutor, Bilikisu Buhari, urged the court to admit the FBI’s petition, the defendants’ statements and the iPhone as exhibits, as well as convict the defendants as charged.
The defendants’ counsel, Mr. Kayode Omoya, did not oppose prosecution’s request. Consequently, the petition, defendants’ statements and the iPhone were admitted as exhibits B1 and B2.
The judge also pronounce the defendants guilty of the charges against them.
Following the guilty pronouncement of the judge, the convicts’ counsel pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client, as they are first time offenders without previous record of conviction.
The counsel told the court that the first convict is a graduate and the only child of the second convict who is a widow.
He also told the court that both the mother and the son have become remorseful and undertake not to engage in the act, since they were arrested and being in custody for more than 40 days.
He pleaded to court to give them second chance so that they can go back to life. While urging the court to give them fine option instead of giving them to custodian sentence.
In sentencing the mother and son, Justice Aneke held: “I have carefully considered the plea for leniency of the counsel, Omoya. However, the court is mindful of the offences committed d by the convicts, which has dent the image of the country both home and abroad. Everyone have has the duty to change the narrative.
“Consequently, this court sentence the first convict, Damilola Ahmed Adeyemi and the second convict, Alaba Kareem Adeyeri to three years imprisonment in each count of count one, two, three and four.
“All the term shall run concurrently and starting from the date of arrest”.
After sentencing the convicts, the prosecutor urged the court to forfeit the sum of of N38.8 million, used in buy property with Andron Homes and Properties; N21.6 million in Crystal High Homes account domiciled in Polaris bank, N10 million belonging to Alaba Karrem Adeyemi, domiciled in Polaris Bank, $24, 585 USD and N421, 329, 00 belonging to Damilola and domiciled in Polaris Bank and the IPhone recovered from the first convict, Damilola to the Federal government of Nigeria.
The prosecutor’s request was granted as Justice Aneke ordered the forfeiture of the funds and iPhone to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Charge Against The Convicts
COUNT -1
“That you, Damilola Ahmed Adeyemi Alaba Kareem Adeyemi and Karen Russell (still at large) sometime on the 21st day of June 2017; in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court conspired to fraudulently impersonate the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American Cranes Manufacturing Company with intent to gain monetary advantage in the sum of $82,570.00 (Eighty Two Thousand Five Hundred and Seventy US Dollars) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) and 22(3) of the cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention etc) ACT, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(1) of the same Act.
Count 2
That you, Damilola Ahmed Adeyemi, Alaba Kareem Adeyemi and Karen Russell (still at large) sometime on the 19TH day oh July 2017, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court dishonesty presented yourselselve as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) American Cranes Manufacturing Company, thereafter you sent in an email to person@managementsecuremail.office.portal.online with an intent to gain advantage to yourselves and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1) and 22(3) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention etc) ACT, 2015 and punishable under Section 27(1) of the same Act.
Count 3
That you. Damilola Ahmed Adeyemi, Alaba Kareem Adeyemi AND KAREN RUSSELL (am at large) sometime on the 22nd day of June 2017, in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Court conspired to chant to Mt. obtain the total sum of $82,570.00 (Eighty Two Thousand Five Hundred and Seventy US Dollars) from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American Cranes Manufacturing Company 1n USA which sum form part of proceed of a fraudulent trick Business Email Compromise (SEC), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 422 and 421 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38.
Count 4
“That you, Damilola Ahmed Adeyemi, Alaba Kareem Adeyemi and Karen Russell (still at large) sometime on the 22nd day of Jun. 2017, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court cheated to wit obtained the total sum of $82,570.00 (Eighty Two Thousand, five Hundred and Seventy US Dollars) from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American Cranes Manufacturing Company in USA which sum 1am part of proceed of a fraudulent trick Business Email Compromised (BEC), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section m1 421 of the criminal Code Act CAP C38”.
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