The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of two fraudsters for money laundering and fraudulent impersonation before the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. The convicts, Agboola Abdullahi Abiodun and Victor Okonjo, were separately prosecuted by the EFCC before……
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of two fraudsters for money laundering and fraudulent impersonation before the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The convicts, Agboola Abdullahi Abiodun and Victor Okonjo, were separately prosecuted by the EFCC before Justice F.N. Ogazi over offences bordering on money laundering and cybercrime.
The EFCC disclosed this in a post on its official X account, saying Agboola was arraigned on a three-count charge, while Okonjo faced a two-count charge.
One of the counts against Agboola alleged that he disguised the origin of proceeds from a dating scam by using part of the illicit gain to acquire a Black Toyota Venza.
The charge read: “That you AGBOOLA ABDULLAHI ABIODUN sometime in 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly disguised part of the origin of your illicit gain accrued from your unlawful act to wit: dating scam, to a Black Toyota Venza, which property forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Similarly, one of the charges against Okonjo bordered on fraudulent impersonation of a United States citizen.
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The charge stated: “That you, VICTOR OKONJO, sometime in 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one Aaron Bauer a male citizen from United States of America by holding yourself out as such, with the intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”
The defendants pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them in court.
Following their pleas, the prosecution counsel, F.B. Orilade, reviewed the facts of the cases and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
Justice Ogazi subsequently found both men guilty and sentenced Agboola to four years imprisonment on count one, one year on count two and one year on count three.
Okonjo was sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of N500,000 fine on count one and four years imprisonment on count two.
The court ordered that all the prison terms imposed on the convicts should run concurrently, effective from the dates of their arrests.
Justice Ogazi further ordered the forfeiture of their mobile devices, laptops, a Toyota Venza and a 2020 Mercedes-Benz to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The judge also directed that the forfeited assets be sold and the proceeds returned to the victims.
Where the victims cannot be traced, the court ordered that the proceeds of the sales be paid into the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
